


The Mindwave Chronicles

by ErinPrimette



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Ableism, Angst, Autism Spectrum, Autistic Character, Autistic Leaf (Pokemon), Autistic Meltdown, Bullying, Canon-Typical Violence, Childhood Trauma, Eventual Romance, F/M, Family Feels, Growing Up, Human/Pokemon Relationship(s), Hurt/Comfort, Leaf Needs a Hug, Mewtwo Has Issues, Pokemon Battle, Protective Mewtwo, Sensory Overload, Slow Build, Slurs, Social Anxiety, Stimming, mewtwo needs a hug, past bullying
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-02-18 16:07:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 27
Words: 69,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21930145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErinPrimette/pseuds/ErinPrimette
Summary: All Leaf Aoyama wanted was to become a Pokémon trainer and venture through the world of Pokémon. When Professor Oak registered her as a trainer a few months after she was unfairly disqualified, she seized the chance to fulfill her dream. Her autistic identity was guaranteed to make her journey more challenging, but then she stumbled upon Mewtwo when she got lost in Viridian Forest. From there, they ended up traveling together on a journey to discover a meaningful purpose in life for both of them.#BoycottAutismSpeaks
Relationships: Leaf/Mewtwo (Pokemon)
Comments: 40
Kudos: 85





	1. Pallet Town’s New Neighbors

**Author's Note:**

> With Christmas around the corner, I might as well give this idea a bit of a jump start. If I do manage to find a co-writer/RP partner eager to help me expand on this story, I might be able to advance the story much further. I have accounts on Tumblr, DeviantArt, Twitter and Archive of Our Own under the same name as in Fanfiction.

When the Aoyamas arrived at Pallet Town, they made a simple beeline towards Professor Oak's laboratory. The new equipment he needed would guarantee more successful results in his continuous research. After parking their car near the lab, Kisa Aoyama disembarked first. Oliver was the next to hop out before pulling a box out of the trunk. Their daughter, Leaf, searched the car for her messenger bag before she climbed out, placing the strap of her messenger bag over her shoulder.

Leaf took a moment to scan her surroundings, staring in awe as the laboratory stood in the middle of such a small town. If they were lucky, maybe the people of Pallet Town would accept her and her family with open arms unlike the people back in Viridian City. A Squirtle jumped out of the car and skittered towards Leaf, standing on its hind legs. She made a brief glance at the water Pokémon and smiled at it while her dad strolled to the front door.

"Enjoying the fresh air?" Leaf chirped.

"Squirtle!" the Squirtle chirruped happily.

The Professor had been working in his lab for the most part of the morning, typing the notes he gathered on Pokémon into his computer to save and load them into this portable encyclopedia device he spent so many years designing. The memory card of the aptly named Pokédex couldn't hold as many data files as he wished, so he had to add only the basics about Pokémon as the appearance, the size, the weigh, the cry and a little description on their behavior or origins. Hopefully with time, he'd be able to include a much bigger memory card to hold much more data.

"Gramps! Gramps!" a voice called for him as a little boy, about eleven years old appeared at the door. "there is a car coming up here."

"Oh, it must be the Aoyamas," Samuel Oak merely said without looking away from his computer, "I told you we were expecting their visit this morning, Gary."

"Yeah, but you didn't tell me what their business here was," the preteen boy stated, crossing his arms over his chest.

In reply, the professor of Pokémon, as Samuel Oak was called at time, sighed.

"I didn't know I had to justify myself to you, my grandson," he said, finally looking up to stare at his grandson who recoiled a bit, "if you so want to know, I met Kisa Aoyama when she was still studying psychology at the university of Celadon City where I taught for some years. And now, she is coming here to bring me some important equipment that I require. Is your curiosity satisfied?"

"Yes…thank you, Gramps," Gary sheepishly replied.

As he was about to go on his way…most likely in the garden when the Professor kept the Pokémon he had gathered from the time he was a trainer, his grandfather's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"I believe they are bringing their daughter along. It'd be nice if you could be nice and show her around while I talk with her parents," Samuel asked Gary, leaving his computer on standby and, going to leave his laboratory, standing right in front of his grandson.

This made Gary grimace.

"Come on, Gramps…I am no kid's babysitter!" Gary complained.

"Good thing she's not a kid anymore," he thought for a bit, "if I am not mistaken, she should be around your age. Who knows? Perhaps the both of you could get along nicely."

Professor Oak started making his way to the front door.

"Pfft," Gary simply glanced away with a scoff.

This made his grandfather smile when he looked back at his grandson.

"It'd be best for you if you could get down your pedestal and be nice to others," Samuel sternly advised.

"Fine," Gary reluctantly said.

"Mr. Aoyama! Kisa!" Samuel greeted his guests with a bright and wide smile, holding out his hand to Kisa's, "I am so pleased to see you. I hope the travel went well."

Kisa grasped the professor's hand and shook it.

"Of course," she agreed, "the travel went smoothly."

Gary blinked twice as he noticed Leaf slowly swayed her torso from side to side. Squirtle stared at the professor's grandson as it hid behind her leg.

"Feel free to come inside," Professor Oak offered.

"Thank you," Kisa nodded with a smile.

"How long it had been since I saw you?" the Professor asked, "here, let me take this."

He took the box out of Oliver's hands and gesturing them to the living room sofa to indicate they could come in while he placed the precious box on the dinner table.

"Pray, sit down, make yourself at home," he added, pointing at the sofas.

In front of them were cookies, tea and coffee ready for the guests.

"I believe it has been fifteen years?" he suggested, "you were quite a bright young lady, if I had to believe your psychology teacher. Oh, here is my grandson, Gary."

He just had spotted the red haired preteen who has thought he could escape to the garden.

"Won't you say hello to our guest?"

Gary rolled his eyes though still went to greet Mr. and Mrs. Aoyama and just waved at Leaf.

"Don't mind him. He's not the best at manners," Samuel sighed with a frown to his grandson, "yet I am sure he'll be _**delighted**_ to show the various Pokémon species that we have around here, won't you, Gary?"

"Fine," Gary grumbled.

While Professor Oak went back to his conversation with the parents, Gary gave Leaf a brief awkward glance.

"Well," Gary offered, "want me to show you the way?"

Leaf nodded sheepishly before she lifted her Squirtle into her arms.

"That…would be great," she answered.

Gary sighed before he led Leaf out of the living room. He didn't wait for her nor made sure she was following him. He just crossed the corridor, opened the back door and walked out onto the vast backyard. Beyond the fence of the backyard led to a grassy field which spread as far as the eye could see. Only a dark green line…the rim of Viridian forest on the horizon stopped the field.

The weather was just fine. Not as fine as it had been when Gary was still in Johto, but still, not as bad. The same sun cast its strong and warm rays on him, the few white clouds occupying the sky as a flock of Mareeps, a soft breeze, just enough to cool the atmosphere. Everything screamed of peace and heaven in that remote place, much to Gary's dismay when he compared his life here with what it had been back in Goldenrod City.

The only good thing here was that he could be in contact with Pokémon much more than he had been back in Johto. The downside was that he still didn't have _**his**_ own Pokémon. And now, his grandfather had asked him to stick with a girl that already had hers. Speak about justice…

He emitted a low whistle and a tall Charizard, growling loudly from up in the sky, flew down towards the preteen boy. That would impress Leaf and show her place, Gary thought with a smirk.

"Oh?" Leaf warbled, "that's so cool!"

Gary shrugged before shifting his gaze towards her Squirtle.

"Yeah," Gary agreed, "he sure is huge compared to that little Squirtle of yours."

Gary started scratching his grandfather's Charizard's rough scales. The big dragonlike Pokémon, though it wasn't part of the dragon type category, seemed to be enjoying the human's touch. He didn't pay attention as Leaf started wandering around the fenced-in garden, her Squirtle chirping as they admired a few Nidorans playing with a ball in the yard.

"Not that I care," Gary added, "I am just surprised your parents let you have a Pokémon. You don't seem the kind of kid to be able to handle it."

Leaf froze in her tracks and grimaced as she lowered her head. That familiar phrase she heard from before stirred something painful she didn't want to relive through.

"What'd I say?" Gary blurted.

Leaf turned for the back door.

"Squirtle?" her Squirtle gave a confused chirp.

"I'd," Leaf muttered, "I'd better head back inside."

Gary gave Leaf a confused stare as she stepped back into the house and made her way back to the living room. She started searching for a place to sit when Professor Oak tilted his head towards her.

"Oh?"

Leaf allowed her Squirtle to jump out of her arms and land onto a sofa cushion.

"It's been a month since the graduation ceremony, hasn't it?" Professor Oak mentioned, "how are you coming along as a trainer?"

Without warning, Leaf and her parents went silent. The young girl hugged her arms to her chest as hateful words from her peers back in Viridian City echoed in her mind. She kept her expression as stoic as she could despite her chest tightening slightly, not wanting to cry in front of everyone.

"I…got disqualified," Leaf admitted, lowering her head as to avoid the Professor's eyes.

Professor Oak stared in disbelief.

"What?" Professor Oak exclaimed, "how come?! You passed the Trainer's Exam, didn't you?"

Kisa let out a frustrated sigh.

"True. We were looking forward to the day Leaf would become a Pokémon trainer," she elaborated.

Leaf's mom reached for a portfolio in his messenger bag and pulled out a rejection letter. She offered it to Oak, allowing him to read it.

"It's just," Oliver added, softly flapping his hand, "no matter how much we try to reason with Mr. Gibson, he just won't budge."

Professor Oak continued to read it for a minute or so before he let out an exasperated sigh.

"It's such a shame," Oak commented, "he doesn't seem to realize his word isn't absolute, not even above the law."

Professor Oak stood from a couch and stepped over to his computer and scrolled to a database. It didn't take much long before he found a digital copy of the trainer's license with Leaf's name on it.

Though, the professor didn't print the trainer's license. On the letter, he took note of the signature of Leaf's teacher, Mr. Gibson. Samuel faintly remembered him as a stuck-up sort of person, always proud of himself and his questionable researches. From the few times they had exchanged word during some scientific symposium had written that, even though Leaf did show some abilities with Pokémon, when it came to human relationships, she was unable to make any friends. He went on describing how Leaf always stood aside, seldom to never talking to anyone. Even in class, she struggled to participate especially when it came to group activity, or even raise her hand to ask questions or answer some.

The professor frowned. Nothing of it showed that Leaf wasn't an able trainer, especially considering that her Squirtle seemed to be doing just fine. After all, social activities weren't for everyone. On the other hand, even though Professor Oak was ready to print Leaf's trainer license, he knew he himself wasn't above the law either. Though, he had an idea which could solve the problem. Maybe. And that was, only if her parents agreed to it.

He left the computer and went back to the couch.

"I can't bypass Leaf's teacher decision," he told his former student and her husband, bringing up a sigh from them.

He could see he disappointed them.

"You have to understand, even though I am a quite well-known Pokémon specialist, I haven't been Leaf's teacher. I hardly know her. Therefore, I can't truthfully decide if she is an able trainer even if her teachers' notes and grades say so. The Pokémon League would question it and my…hmm…bias into your daughter," he explained, "however, here is what I can do. If you leave her in my care for a few months, I could see how she is, by myself, and if she has what it takes to be a Pokémon trainer. She would learn more about Pokémon care and handling by staying here than going on the road right away. And it'd give me some ground to eventually bestow her her Pokémon License Card."

Leaf blinked twice.

"Would…that help?" she clarified.

Leaf made a brief glance at her parents, who gave a somewhat hopeful expression. Well, it was better than nothing, so she turned her head towards the Pokémon professor.

"Ok," Leaf nodded, "I'll give it a shot."

Squirtle's fact lit up and started jumping up and down on the couch, chirping happily.

From there, Leaf's parents brought her luggage from the car and started carrying it into the lab. The professor raised a brow when he saw Leaf's parents had their daughter's luggage ready. But her mother explained that they were going to settle in Pallet Town. Of course they had taken advantage of their moving in the little town to bring the Professor his scientific equipment.

"Well, it's for the best, I believe," Samuel offered with a gentle smile, "your parents will be nearby, if you want to see them. What do you think?"

He knelt to meet with Leaf's eye level.

"Would you like to stay here?"

Smiling, Leaf rocked side to side, her eyes focusing on his chin.

"Sure!" she agreed.

Over the course of a few months, Leaf refreshed her studies of Pokémon under Professor Oak's supervision. Unlike her time in the school of Viridian City, she could study the notes more comfortably without a risk of sensory overload as she memorized the different types which existed, what status ailments a Pokémon could be inflicted with and what it could do to them. That also meant the professor gave demonstrations on how to care for a Pokémon. During those times, Gary often strung along when he helped Leaf bathe the Nidorans or when they fed the Pokémon living in the backyard outside of the lab. This was also a good chance for Leaf and Gary to explore Pallet Town during the weekends, though the unfamiliar setting was enough for her to stay as close to the Professor's grandson any chance she could get.

By the time the last week of this tutoring session came around, Professor Oak received an envelope from the mailbox containing exam papers, so Leaf spent the next few hours in private thinking and writing down answers in her exam. On occasion, she would squeeze a stress ball in her free hand to ease any tension in her mind. By the time she finished, she handed the papers to the professor, which allowed him to review her exam for the rest of the evening.

This could be their best shot at giving the Aoyama daughter a chance to start her journey.


	2. Who Let the Trainers Out?!

On one special morning, Leaf checked her inventory in her bag in her bedroom at her new house. While her Squirtle sat next to her on the bed, she took the time to examine her wallet and her Pokégear before sliding each of them into the pockets of her bag where she could access them easily. She scooped several Poké Balls and stashed them into one of the exterior pouches of her messenger bag. She packed a few Potions in her bag's medicine pouch before she closed it.

She reached for a hairbrush and brushed the knots out of her waist-length brown hair. After she set down her brush, she slipped out of her pajamas and put on a pair of sky-blue shorts. She slipped on a black sleeveless tunic with a sky-blue trim around the collar. To finish her look, she pulled out a pair of white wristbands from her messenger bag and slid them onto her wrists. Her brown eyes locked onto her Squirtle's, smiling when it chirped happily.

Leaf slung the messenger bag over her shoulder before she beckoned to her Squirtle, who followed her out of the bedroom. They descended the staircase and made their way to the dining room, where Kisa was sipping coffee with a piece of toast on her saucer and Oliver was preparing oatmeal in a saucepan.

"Morning, Leaf," Oliver sang, "would you like me to add a Persim berry to your oatmeal?"

Leaf nodded with a smile before she sat down at the table, beckoning her Squirtle to sit down on the booster seat attached to a chair next to her. It was only minutes later when Oliver finished cooking the oatmeal as he started pouring servings into three separate bowls, taking care to add the diced Persim berry into one bowl. Leaf stood from her seat and approached the counter before retrieving two bowls. She went back to the table and handed the second bowl to her Squirtle.

"Careful, buddy," Leaf warned, "it's really hot."

Leaf's Squirtle sniffed at its oatmeal while she blew at a spoonful a few times before taking a bite. Once Oliver brought his own breakfast to the table, the tiny turtle Pokémon started feasting on its breakfast. As they savored the meal together, Kisa reached for the envelope and nudged it towards Leaf.

"This came from the professor this morning," Kisa explained, "I'm sure he's waiting for you at his lab."

Leaf took a moment to open the envelope. She smiled when she pulled out her Trainer's License.

"I-I'll be sure to…stop by before I head out," she replied as she rocked back and forth.

Leaf didn't take much long to finish her breakfast. She tilted her head towards her Squirtle and smiled as it rubbed its sated belly. She took a moment to tuck her new license into her wallet before she patted her Pokémon's head.

"Ready to go, Squirtle?" Leaf sang.

Squirtle perked its head up before it jumped off the chair. From there, Leaf followed her mom straight to the front door.

"Now," Kisa told her daughter, "you have your Pokégear with you, right?"

"Mm-hmm," Leaf nodded.

Kisa reached her hand forward and brushed a stray hair out her daughter's eye.

"Now," Kisa continued, "I understand this kind of change is overwhelming for you, and if you're nervous, that's ok."

Leaf nodded even as her eyes avoided her mom's.

"But your father and I will support you on this important decision in your life," Kisa added, "if someone tells you they don't like the way you are, they're not worth your effort. You have no obligation to please anyone at your expense. You with me so far?"

"Uh-huh," Leaf nodded.

Leaf slipped on a pair of black shoes with sky-blue soles.

"And lastly," Kisa said, "if you feel lost, don't be afraid to call us."

Kisa made a brief glance at Squirtle.

"And I'm sure you can take good care of your Squirtle," Kisa concluded, "right?"

Leaf nodded before she gave her mom a hug.

"See you, mom," Leaf stammered, "I'll miss you."

With tears of joy starting to stream down her cheeks, Kisa ran her hand along her daughter's head.

"Good luck and stay safe, sweetheart."

Kisa released her embrace, so Leaf and her Squirtle stepped out of the house and wandered through Pallet Town. It didn't take long for them to find the laboratory. They set foot inside, only to notice two boys standing before Professor Oak. Granted, she recognized Gary, but she had no idea who the other boy was. She watched curiously as the professor handed them each a Pokédex.

"Hey," Gary grinned, "thanks, Gramps!"

Finally, he had it. Gary couldn't help but stare at the Pokédex he had in his hand. He had seen his grandfather work on it whenever he wasn't teaching that girl from Viridian City or helping her get the hang of some Pokémon. He couldn't say they were close friends. She followed him sometimes when he was strolling in Pallet Town, but never stayed when he went to see friends or meet people. Even Red, who was now standing at his side with his own Pokédex in hand, didn't know her. Heck, he had never even seen her.

"These encyclopedias, which you can call a Pokédex, will help you along in your travel," Professor Oak explained, "they'll give you the type of Pokémon you meet, and they'll give you information about the moves the Pokémon you catch know. Take good care of it."

"Sure," Gary promised, just as Red did.

He certainly was glad to have the Dex, and his license his grandfather handed him the day before, though it wasn't going to be the highlight of the day.

"Unfortunately," Oak added with a sigh, "I only have two Pokémon available at this time."

"Really, Gramps?!" Gary groaned.

Professor Oak sighed and turned his head towards the long table with two Poké Balls sitting on it. Gary noted one Poké Ball's holster was labeled a Bulbasaur and the other was labeled a Charmander. Funny, how he spent months raising them here.

"Now, as you both know," Professor Oak continued, "I can't let you go on your journey without a Pokémon to accompany you."

"Yes. We know it's a dangerous world," Red stated with a sigh, "and that we shouldn't go without a Pokémon at our side."

"I see you remember your lesson rather well," Oak agreed with a proud smile, deliberately not dwelling on the tone Red had used, "now you'll have to pick only one."

Gary stomped his foot.

"Hey! Why can't I choose first?" Gary exclaimed.

"So you can learn to be patient and a good host!" his grandfather retorted, stepping over to the table, "now choose wisely."

Red nodded with confidence before he strolled over to the table. He examined two of the Poké Balls in a moment of silence before he picked up the one on the right.

"I'll pick this Charmander," he said.

Gary folded his arms and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, really?" he muttered, "you're going to have me stuck with the Bulbasaur? Fine."

Gary trudged over to the table and picked up the Poké Ball holding the Bulbasaur inside.

"Well," Professor Oak chuckled, "I believe you two are ready to go on your own adventure."

From there, Professor Oak turned his head towards Leaf, causing her to stiffen without warning.

"Ah," he smiled, "good morning, Leaf! Did you have a good sleep?"

Leaf nodded sheepishly before she and her Squirtle took a few steps forward. Red and Gary glanced over their shoulders and locked eyes onto the young girl.

"Uh, who's she?" Red blurted.

"Leaf," Gary replied, "I told you about her. The kid that stayed at Gramps' place so she could get her Trainer's license."

Gary's attention remained focused on his new Pokémon.

"Ah, right," Red said.

He then went to Leaf and held his hand to her.

"I'm Red," he greeted, "pleased to meet you."

"Uh, same to you," Leaf stammered.

Leaf took a moment to shake Red's hand. After that, he scratched his head.

"Although," Red blurted, "Gary took the…"

"That's ok," Leaf interrupted as she grasped her right arm with her left hand, "I already got my own starter. Right, Squirtle?"

Leaf gave her Squirtle a wink, encouraging it to jump up which caught Red's attention.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle chirped.

Leaf smiled as she knelt down and petted her Squirtle's forehead. She then stood back to her feet and stepped over to Professor Oak as she reached into a box and pulled out another Pokédex. He handed it to her without hesitation.

"As I said to the boys, this will help you in your travel," the professor said, "if you have any problem using it, don't hesitate to ask either of them for information. I am sure that at least Red would help you."

"Sure thing," Red approved.

Gary just shrugged at Red and Leaf.

"Whatever. Smell ya later," he said, turning to leave and waving, "thanks again, Gramps."

Gary wasted no time as he stepped out the door.

"Gary, wait!" Professor Oak called over.

But much to his dismay, his grandson vanished from his sight.

"Great, I didn't have time to tell it to Gary," Professor Oak sighed, pointing at Red, "but you should be careful and not do anything reckless. And that's specifically meant for you, Red. I know how hotheaded you and my grandson can get. However, I don't want to hear you have been injured in a Pokémon battle or because you decided to do something drastic a week from now."

"Eh…yeah…" Red said as he looked away, blood rushing to his cheeks and tainting them the same color as his name.

"This is serious," the professor insisted, "we have more and more reports of Team Rocket activity. Even though their actions take place in the entire region, they seem to be elusive to the point the police can't do anything to stop them."

"Don't worry, professor," Red assured, "I don't think they'd even pay attention to a new Pokémon trainer like me or Gary."

"Unless you purposefully decide to provoke them," the professor interrupted.

"Come on, why would I do that?" Red asked with as angelic a tone as he could muster, "come on, Leaf. We'd better not let Gary go too far ahead, he's going to get all the best Pokémon."

Red took Leaf by the hand, eliciting a startled yelp out of her and leading her outside before the professor could say anything. Leaf stuttered nervously as her Squirtle followed close behind. They made their way to the edge of Pallet Town where they could see Route One up ahead.

"Uh, Red?" Leaf stammered, occasionally pausing between words, "you don't…think Gary could…be too far, r-right?"

When they stepped into the Route, they stopped in their tracks and Red released her hand, allowing Leaf to stash her Pokédex and return her Squirtle into its Poké Ball. Their eyes wandered until they found Gary searching tall grass meters ahead.

"Eh, he is quite the dedicated guy," Red commented, "but I suppose you already know that as you've spent quite a few months with him. Must've been hard on you though as he's not the easiest human being to be with."

He waved at Gary once they spotted him. The Professor's grandson picked up a Poké Ball which stopped shaking on the ground.

"So, did you have any luck?"

"Be even noisier, why don't you," Gary growled, placing the ball into his bag, "all the wild Pokémon are going to flee from you if you don't learn to be quieter."

"Eh, nice as ever," he replied, turning to Leaf as if taking her as a witness, "I wanted to bring you your grandfather's warning about Team Rocket. He said not…"

"Not to run into them if you can help it and not attract their attention," Gary retorted, pointing at Red, "he's been giving me that speech for too long. I don't need you to parrot it."

"Fine, suit yourself," Red shrugged.

Red stepped into the tall grass while Leaf scanned her surroundings. On the branches of the nearest tree, she could spot a Pidgey preening its feathers. A pack of Ratattas rustled within a nearby patch of tall grass. Leaf kept her feet planted firmly onto the ground to keep herself from getting dizzy in the middle of the vast field. The grassy scent from the gentle breeze was enough to soothe her, though.

She approached a patch of tall grass and tiptoed into it, keeping her eyes vigilant for any wild Pokémon. She nearly jumped when she felt a small vine tickled her shin. She scanned her surroundings before she laid her eyes on a Bellsprout. Should she really have to weaken it, first? It was just standing idly and basking in the morning sunlight. Leaf glanced over her shoulder and watched as Red and Gary crept in the tall grass in search of a specific Pokémon. Perhaps they spotted a Spearow?

She returned her focus onto the Bellsprout before she reached into her messenger bag's ball pouch. Pulling out a Poké Ball, she chucked it at the Bellsprout. She watched as it tapped its head and opened up, materializing it into particles and absorbing them before it snapped itself shut and dropped to the ground. Leaf kept her eyes glued to the Poké Ball and gestured her hand to count to three as it shook three times. After the third shake, the Poké Ball's release button flashed a green color. She couldn't help but smile as she spun around once and flapped her hands. After she calmed herself a moment later, she picked up the Poké Ball.

Having caught her first Pokémon, she tilted her head towards Gary. Neither Gary nor Red paid attention to Leaf's first catch as Gary took advantage of his troubling a small pack of Rattata to train with his Bulbasaur who seemed keen on showing what he was worth to his new trainer, much to Gary's delight.

"Eh, perhaps Bulbasaur wasn't that bad a choice," he thought to himself, while petting his Pokémon and feeding him a berry so the small and green Pokémon could restore his energy.

Red, on the other hand, just caught a Spearow and was moving on northwards. Route One was an easy road to follow, with a wide beaten path as many people from Viridian City used it when going on for a walk and Pallet Town citizens needed some items or supplies that Pallet's shops didn't provide. The Pokémon there were as good as tamed already.

"Hey, Red!" Gary called, "what do you say we have a battle once we're in Viridian City and our Pokémon are healed?"

Red glanced over his shoulder as Leaf proceeded to catch up with them.

"Sure," Red nodded, "I could give it a go."


	3. No Tour Guides for Viridian

From there, Red, Gary and Leaf continued their hike through Route One, with Red demonstrating how to use a Pokédex to record wild Pokémon. It took her a few run-ins with a Pidgey and a Ratatta to get the hang of it. They arrived at the edge of Viridian City around an hour later. The first thing they saw was the Pokémon Center with its distinctive red roof standing out from the rest of the buildings. The inside was just like they had been taught when learning to get their Trainer License: big, clean, with a resting and waiting area, a counter standing right in front of the entrance with a nurse wearing the usual white cap with the pinkish red cross on it and a Chansey at her side.

A few people were in the waiting area, some chatting happily with their Pokémon at their side while others were merely reading while waiting for their Pokémon's checkup to be done. Red did spot a young child who was sobbing quietly while an older child…most likely his brother, if Red had to guess, was trying to comfort him.

"Hello!" the nurse greeted them with a kind smile, pulling Red's attention away from the crying kid.

"Good day," Gary answered, placing his Poké Ball on the counter, "could you heal my Pokémon?"

"Of course," she said, Gary's flat tone seeming to have no effect on her kindness.

She took Gary's Poké Balls and placed them on a tray.

"It should be done in a few minutes."

"Could you do the same with mine?" Red asked, placing his own Poké Ball next to Gary's, "I have an upcoming battle, and I want to make sure they're in top condition for it."

While the nurse carried the trays to the healing station, Gary made a brief glance at Leaf, who just took her Squirtle out of its Poké Ball while she sat in a lounge chair and tapped her foot. She smiled softly as she gently stroked its head, letting it lean into the touch. Her new Bellsprout stood on the arm of the lounge chair while it curiously scanned its surroundings. Leaf extended her free hand, allowing the flower Pokémon to sniff her fingers. Gary just shrugged at her and turned back to the nurse.

"Excuse me, Nurse…Joy?" he said, reading the name on the tag on her chest, "we've started our Pokémon journey just now and after I defeat hothead here, I'd like to know if I could go on battling the Gym Leader of Viridian City."

Gary pointed at Red, who pouted and muttered 'as if it was going to happen' under his breath while crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Haven't you heard? The Viridian City Gym Leader has been missing for quite a while now. He has taken an extended leave and hasn't been back yet," the nurse apologized, "no one knows why and where he has gone."

"Dang, what a shame…"

Red has been disappointed to hear about the Gym Leader's being missing just as Gary had, though he still went to Leaf.

"Don't you want to have your Pokémon healed?" Red reminded her, "sure, you didn't battle much with them, but it couldn't hurt."

Leaf snapped out of her thoughts and returned her Squirtle and Bellsprout into their Poké Balls.

"Give me a moment," she said.

Leaf scurried over to the counter and placed her Poké Balls onto the tray. The novice trainer avoided locking eyes onto the nurse's as she picked up the tray.

"Of course, miss," the nurse smiled, "it'll be a few minutes."

Leaf folded her arms on the counter and waited until a few minutes later, Nurse Joy withdrew the tray from the machine and handed it back to Leaf.

"Thank you for waiting," the nurse smiled, giving a deep bow, "we've restored your Pokémon to full health. We hope to see you again."

Leaf smiled before she retrieved her Pokémon. She then turned on her feet and met up with Red and Gary at the entrance. They stepped out of the Pokémon Center and made their way to a field in front of a restaurant named Hiroshi's Curry Pot. Leaf sat at the front patio as she, Squirtle and Bellsprout watched Red and Gary take positions at the opposite end of the field. Granted, she might as well watch the first trainer battle while she waited to order her lunch.

"So," Red beckoned, "you wanna make the first move?"

Gary answered by sending out his Bulbasaur. The battle arena was much smaller than a real one, those they had in Gym or for tournament. But given Red and Gary were still rookie trainers, and this battle was unofficial, it was more than enough. Bulbasaur let out a roar when it entered the battlefield, as if challenging Red himself.

"Wrong choice," the dark haired boy said with a smirk, sending out his newly caught Spearow, "use Peck!"

"Bulbasaur, dodge!" Gary countered, and his grass starter moved just in time to avoid the bird's beak, "now, use Leech Seed!"

The Spearow had been surprised by Bulbasaur's speed and was too slow to get out of the seed which grew and spread all over his body and on the arena ground.

"Bulbasaur, come back!" Gary recalled his Pokémon to send another, much suited to the battle. "Rattata, your turn. Use Quick Attack."

Hardly had the rodent Pokémon appeared that it was rushing towards the bird and hit it head on, sending him crashing down motionless.

"Looks like your Pokémon is unable to battle," Gary teased his opponent.

Red withdrew his fainted Spearow into its Poké Ball.

"Hmph, I am just getting started. Charmander!"

Red sent out his Charmander, who took a battle stance.

"Rattata, Quick Attack!" Gary ordered.

"Dodge," Red instructed, "then Ember!"

Charmander was fast, much faster than Gary's Bulbasaur. But on the other hand, Rattata's speed was also much higher than Red's Spearow. Charmander didn't get out of the way fast enough to dodge the rodent's move, but due to his size and weigh, he was unmoved by the fast attack and, due to the Rattata being so close, he had no trouble hitting the purple Pokémon with Ember. The Rattata hissed and moved away out of reach of the Charmander.

"Rattata, use Tail Whip!" Gary commanded as Red was ordering his lizardlike Pokémon to use Scratch.

Moving fast and being small, the Rattata went low enough to not be hit by Charmander's move and, using his tail, got Charmander to lose his balance.

"Rattata, Quick Attack again!"

"Charmander, Ember again!"

The two Pokemon collided, sending dust and smoke everywhere. When it settled, Gary's Rattata was down on the ground while Charmander, even though he panted heavily, was still standing.

"We're even now, one on one," Red stated.

Gary withdrew his Rattata and then sent out his Bulbasaur.

"You wish," Gary smirked, "Bulbasaur, let's finish this! Tackle."

"Charmander, Ember!" Red commanded, "don't let him get close!"

Indeed, Charmander's fire move prevented Gary's Bulbasaur from getting too close to his opponent as the grass type Pokémon was busy dodging the embers as best as he could.

"Bulbasaur, use Leech Seed!"

Even though Red didn't give Charmander any order, the seed just fell flat on the arena soil, spreading useless vines all around.

"Looks like your Bulbasaur needs glasses. Charmander, Ember," Red's Pokémon opened his mouth, but nothing came out of it.

"And looks like yours lost his fire power. Bulbasaur, Tackle!" Bulbasaur rushed as fast as he could towards Charmander who was standing in place, looking back at Red.

"Charmander, use Scratch!"

Bulbasaur hit Charmander's chest head on, sending the red Pokémon backwards, causing him to trip over the leech seed's vine and falling down.

"Whelp, Charmander is out of the battlefield," Gary smirked, "so I won."

Red stared in disbelief. It felt unfair his rival would stoop to such a dirty trick.

"That's…that's _**not**_ how you win a battle!" Red exclaimed.

"It's in the rules!" Gary countered, "if your Pokémon is out of the battleground, they are out! That's called strategy. You were great, Bulbasaur. And so were you, Rattata."

Leaf grimaced as she facepalmed. No wonder they considered each other such rivals! Red didn't say anything as he withdrew his Charmander back into its Poké Ball. He and Gary left the battlefield and made their way to the front patio, sitting down at Leaf's table.

"Hey," Leaf blurted, "do your buddies have enough…uh, energy to eat?"

Red and Gary exchanged glances before they sent out their Pokémon.

"Yeah, good point," Gary agreed, giving Leaf a wink, "I guess Pokémon battles sure make us hungry."

Leaf read through the menu and ordered her usual custom curry consisting of mushrooms, Moomoo Cheese, Chesto berries and burger steak with lemonade as her drink, while Red ordered a salad curry with fresh water as his drink. Gary simply ordered a seasoned curry with soda pop as a drink. When the waiter delivered their lunch orders half an hour later, the three new trainers and their Pokémon started digging in. Nothing was more great than dining at a curry restaurant that also served curry to Pokémon.

After lunch, Leaf strolled through the city and stopped at a Poké Mart while Red and Gary made their way back to the Pokémon Center. When she set foot into the store, she started strolling down each aisle and kept an eye out for any useful supplies for her journey. Stopping at one shelf, Leaf picked out a TM Case. At another shelf, she picked out a Berry Pouch. At yet another shelf, she plucked out an EXP Share. After that, she went to another set of aisles to pick out a few Potions, two Antidotes, a Paralyz Heal and a few more Poké Balls.

Once she took the time to stock up on the items, Leaf sauntered over to another set of aisles to gather supplies. Passing by each aisle, she picked up a towel, a comb, a medicine dropper, a sleeping bag and a pillow. She finally made a quick trip to another aisle to snag a beanbag before she went to the checkout counter to pay for the items.

Leaf stepped out of the Poké Mart with her Squirtle following close behind. Unfortunately, she started passing by the school. Ugh, she wished she didn't have to pass by that dreadful place. Even when she kept walking, she felt her chest tighten and she clamped her hands over her ears. That still didn't stop the barrage of voices echoing in her head to the point she almost started crying.

_Wow, you're such a freak!_

_I'm not annoying you, you're the one annoying me!_

_Stop complaining. You're disrupting the class._

_Shut up, you whiny little brat!_

Leaf lowered her head in shame. The last thing she wanted was to bump into her former teacher.

"This isn't fair," Leaf whispered to herself.

They haven't reached the corner of the school grounds yet when Leaf's starter Pokémon paused in its tracks all of a sudden.

"Squirtle?" the Squirtle let out a confused chirp.

Squirtle tilted its head to the southwest, causing Leaf to stop in her tracks.

"What is it?" Leaf paused.

Leaf lowered her arms and turned her head in the direction it faced, only to notice a bluish beam of light shooting out towards the sky in a forest far from Viridian City. As she stared in disbelief, thoughts swam in her head as she tried figuring out what could be going on over there. A matter of seconds later, the beam of light gave way to a massive explosion. The distant booming sound slightly rattled her ears and Leaf covered her ears with both hands. She steeled herself, expecting a shockwave to reach Viridian City.

After a few minutes passed, nothing else happened. When she saw the smoke slowly settling itself, Leaf relaxed in relief. Still, other civilians couldn't help but worry as they also happened to witness the explosion.

"Leaf!"

Leaf snapped out of her thoughts and shifted her gaze towards Red as he sprinted towards her.

"Leaf," Red exclaimed, "did you see that explosion?!"

Leaf nodded as she fidgeted nervously.

"Do you think there's…some sort of accident?" Leaf stammered.

Red dug his hand underneath his cap and scratched his head.

"Beats me," he replied, "whatever could be going on over there is anyone's guess."

Leaf didn't say anything as she reached the corner and turned north.

"You and Gary healed up at the center," Leaf reminded, "right?"

Red chuckled and placed his hand behind his neck.

"Yeah," he answered, "Gary and I are going to stop by the Poké Mart. Wanna join us?"

Leaf smiled and closed her eyes before she shook her head.

"I already stocked up on supplies," she said, "thanks for the offer, anyway."

Red sighed and straightened the straps of his backback.

"All right," he told her, "suit yourself."

Red turned on his feet until he faced east.

"You can go ahead," Red added, "we'll meet you at Pewter City."

While Red started sprinting down the sidewalk, Leaf turned her gaze back to her Squirtle.

"Come on, Squirtle," Leaf beckoned, "it's all clear now."

"Squirtle!" the Squirtle chirped.

Ignoring any passers-by who rushed in to investigate the sudden commotion, Leaf and her Squirtle started dashing to the edge of Viridian City and set foot into Route Two.


	4. Lost in Viridian Forest

By the time Leaf entered Viridian Forest, she checked the Pokémon she caught so far. Nestled between Squirtle's Poké Ball and Bellsprout's Poké Ball rested another Poké Ball holding a Pidgey from the southern section of Route Two. Funny how she met that bird when it followed her in an attempt to snag something to eat from her bag.

Her smile beamed with confidence, knowing she'll stand a chance against the Gym Leader in Pewter City. She pulled out her Pokégear and opened the map browser. She swayed her torso side to side while she zoomed in on Viridian Forest. She would have to prepare to deal with any wild Bug type Pokémon she passed by and if she was lucky to find a Pikachu, maybe she would be covered for the Cerulean Gym later on down the road.

With that objective in mind, she began her stroll down the forest. She brought her Squirtle and Pidgey out of their Poké Balls, who exchanged confused glances.

"Hey, buddies!" Leaf chirped, "wanna go take a walk in the forest?"

Squirtle and Pidgey happily chirped in unison before they started following their trainer.

The forest was dark and little sun rays could hit the dark grassy floor. Bug Pokémon could be seen either hanging from the trees, like Kakuna or Metapod, other crawling such as Caterpie and Weedle, laying low so they didn't attract predators' unwanted attention and a few Butterfree were happily gathering pollen or nectar.

"Come here!" a childish voice sounded in the forest.

And soon enough, Leaf saw a young boy with a net running after a Butterfree. Unfortunately, as he was focused on the Bug Pokémon, he didn't see the root of the tree and fell flat on his face, and the Pokémon used it to fly out of the young man's path.

"Aaagh! It's the second one who escaped me!" he growled, getting back to his feet.

Looking to the side, he caught sight of Squirtle, Pidgey and then Leaf.

"Hey, you! It's your fault I fell!" he yelled while he pointed at her, "I demand a battle!"

Leaf couldn't help but grimace.

"S-Sorry," Leaf blurted, "I-I didn't mean it…"

Still, Leaf tilted her head towards her Pidgey who let out a loud chirp.

"Ok, Pidgey," Leaf called out, "let's do this!"

Pidgey jumped forward and took a battle position. The young bug catcher pulled out his Poké Ball.

"Go, Caterpie!" he shouted.

He tossed his Poké Ball, sending out a Caterpie which took its battle stance.

"String Shot!"

Caterpie opened its mouth and started to take aim. Leaf steeled herself as she clenched her fists.

"Dodge," Leaf ordered, "then Tackle!"

"Caterpie, move out of the way!"

But of course, even though the Pidgey was slowed down by the String Shot, it was still fast enough to hit the Bug Pokémon, injuring it pretty badly.

"Caterpie!" the young trainer called, "get up and use Tackle!"

Slowly, the Caterpie managed to get back on its little feet, just as Leaf's Pidgey flew high in the sky.

"Pidgey, use Gust!" she commanded her bird.

It dove into the air, gathering speed and moved its wings at a fast speed, creating a small tornado right where the small green Pokémon stood. It rose with the wind, clearly scared, and when the tornado disappeared, releasing the Caterpie, it crashed on the ground and remained motionless.

"Caterpie…" the young boy called his Pokémon back into his Poké Ball and rushed out of the forest, tears in his eyes.

Leaf simply fluttered her hand.

"Take it easy there, kid," Leaf muttered to herself.

Leaf shifted her gaze towards her Pidgey as it landed in front of her and chirped happily.

"Great work, Pidgey," Leaf praised.

She knelt down and gave her Pidgey a pat on the head. After removing the sticky web from her bird Pokémon, she, Pidgey and Squirtle continued meandering through the forest. Along the way, Leaf recorded any bug Pokémon they stumbled upon with the Pokédex. On occasion, she would spot an item on the ground and pick it up before she stashed it into her messenger bag. She engaged in a battle with another bug catcher which her Pidgey managed to beat with little trouble before she kept moving forth. How far along was she in the forest, anyway? Still, she had a priority in her mind.

"Pika!"

Leaf paused in her tracks upon hearing that cry. Maybe she didn't have to look that far.

"Pikachu!" the yellow mouse gleefully cried as it picked up an apple from up in the tree before taking a good bite.

That was what Leaf had hoped to find. Her team, though diverse, was rather weak to electric type, with the exception of Bellsprout. Until she reached Mt. Moon, she wouldn't be able to catch any ground or rock type Pokémon, so Pikachu was her best bet. She knew Pikachu were rare in Viridian Forest, but there were some. That was one of the memories she kept from her life in Viridian City, one that wasn't that bad. And here it was.

"Heya, Pikachu!" she chirped in a singsong voice, "wanna join my team?"

She threw a Poké Ball. But the Pikachu just sent it away with a move of its tail as it dropped the apple and glared at Leaf.

"Pidgey! Gust!" Leaf commanded her Pokémon.

But what had worked on a Caterpie and a Weedle didn't work on Pikachu who was much faster and in his element than a bug Pokémon. It just jumped on another tree branch as the branch it had been sitting on emitted a loud crack and fell on the floor. Sparkles appeared on the Pikachu's cheek and a yellow electric ray hit Pidgey. Leaf called her Pokémon back before it joined the branch on the floor.

"Crap," Leaf stiffened in fear.

Leaf didn't hesitate as she sent out her Bellsprout.

"Ok, Bellsprout," Leaf instructed, "Vine Whip!"

The Pikachu moved out of the way and used Quick Attack on Bellsprout yet, even though it did some damage, Bellsprout's slender and flexible body took most of the damage and didn't do that much. Out of frustration, Pikachu emitted a low and threatening growl, which made Bellsprout shiver and look up at Leaf, uncertain of the battle's outcome.

"Bellsprout, use Vine Whip again," Leaf insisted.

This time, the move hit the target. However it wasn't as strong as it could have been and just seemed to anger the Pikachu more. It rushed once again towards the grass type Pokémon and severely hit it with its tail. Leaf winced as she kept her eye on her Bellsprout. Without warning, it collapsed to the ground.

"No," Leaf moaned softly.

Leaf had no choice but to return her Bellsprout to its Poké Ball. That was when her Squirtle jumped forward and made its battle stance.

"This isn't going to end well," Leaf whispered to herself.

Squirtle scratched at the ground with its front claws.

"Squirtle, let's go," Leaf pleaded, her voice as shaking as Bellsprout's body had been a few moments earlier.

But Squirtle didn't seem to want to have any of it as it didn't budge. The Pikachu was making a few steps in his direction, its red cheeks sparkling once again.

"Squirtle…it's not worth…" Leaf couldn't finish her sentence as Squirtle suddenly spurted water on the Pikachu who merely moved aside, growling once more.

This time though, it didn't have the same effect as on Bellsprout as Squirtle stood his ground. The Pikachu raced towards the blue turtle Pokémon who suddenly turned his back and used his tail to divert Pikachu's direction, pushing him toward a tree. Now it was panting. Battling three Pokémon sure took its toll on the electric mouse, yet it wasn't about to admit defeat. And neither was Squirtle who spurted water some more, successfully hitting the Pikachu this time.

"Maybe…"

Tentatively, Leaf threw one of her remaining empty Poké Balls at the Pikachu. Its energy was low. From what she had learnt, it was the right time…or not as Pikachu used some of the electricity it gathered to explode the Poké Ball. It then turned towards Squirtle.

"No!"

Just as Leaf emitted a sound, Pikachu used its electric move before Squirtle, who had been distracted by Leaf's use of her Poké Ball, could do anything to dodge it. At first, it seemed the water Pokémon had been able to take it, as it was still standing. Yet, one more second, and he dropped to his knee and fainted.

"Squirtle!" Leaf panicked, her loud voice echoing across the forest.

Leaf rushed over to the fainted Pokémon and carefully lifted it into her arms, anxiety flooding her nerves as her Squirtle breathed heavily.

"I'm so sorry, I'm sorry," Leaf blurted, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Leaf made a brief glance at the Pikachu as it kept its battle stance. She never expected a wild Pokémon to succeed in taking down her own Pokémon. She turned on her feet and fled the clearing, holding her fainted Squirtle close to her chest. Her only objective now was to get out of Viridian Forest and find the Pokémon Center.

* * *

After seeming to have run in circles for half an hour, Leaf stumbled into another clearing and collapsed onto her knees. Panting heavily, she stared at the Squirtle in her hands, worried it wouldn't make it. Would she have to find Red or Gary? She brushed off the thought by reminding herself she didn't have their numbers registered into her Pokégear. She sat alone in her melancholy throughout a few minutes of silence, only to make a brief glance at a tree stump next to her.

"Hang in there, Squirtle," Leaf sighed, "I think we need to rest for a while."

No sooner did Leaf set her Squirtle down onto the tree stump, she started scouring the medicine pouch of her messenger bag. Could she use a Potion to help her Squirtle recover from its fainted state?

Leaf didn't have as much as a second to think when she heard strange noises from distance, almost as if a Pokémon was levitating in some way. She spun her head around and her eyes widened when she spotted a strange figure emerging from the shadows and floating down onto the forest floor. This…being…landed mere inches before the tree stump Squirtle was splayed on. She attempted to keep her breath steady while her hand wandered in her bag for her Pokédex. While the creature examined her Squirtle, she kept her eyes locked onto it.

The creature's head was almost feline but rather alien, something she wouldn't recognize from a Meowth. His deep violet eyes gave both Leaf and her Squirtle an intense gaze. His smooth light-grey skin didn't have fur, which made it easier for the novice trainer to examine his musculature. She noticed a tube extending from the back of his skull and attaching to the top of his back. Her eyes wandered to his defined chest and shoulders which took the form of a protective breastplate. She briefly examined his thick thighs when she noticed his thick purple tail swaying side to side, extending from its matching belly. Apart from his sleek yet muscular arms, she noted his feet had two toes in spherical tips and his hands each had three fingers, which also ended in spherical tips.

Leaf resisted the urge to stare into the creature's eyes when he raised his paw and held it above her Squirtle. She watched his hand glow and the next thing she knew, a wave of green sparkling particles flowed through her starter Pokémon like a refreshing wind, healing its wounds. In a matter of seconds, Squirtle slowly opened its eyes and scanned its surroundings before laying its gaze onto its trainer.

"Squirtle?"

Leaf's face lit up and she couldn't help but smile.

"Squirtle," Leaf blurted, "you're ok!"

Squirtle chirped before it rolled onto its feet, jumped off the tree stump and scurried towards Leaf. She spread her arms wide, allowing it to jump onto her lap. While her Squirtle nuzzled its face on her stomach, Leaf gently wrapped one arm around it and ran her free hand along the back of its shell.

"It's ok, buddy," Leaf whispered, "it's ok. It's ok, little guy."

For a moment, she seemed to forget whether she and her Pokémon were by themselves or not. All that mattered was Squirtle was all right. The silence passed on for only a minute until…

"Tell me, child. What brings you here?"

Leaf froze when she heard a deep voice boom into her mind. She didn't know where it came from, but recalling her lessons, she remembered Professor Oak, and earlier, Mr. Gibson, saying that some Psychic type Pokémon could, under some circumstances, speak to humans using telepathy. She tilted her head towards the strange being as he stared down at her.

"Oh, uh," Leaf blurted, "thank you for saving my Squirtle."

The strange creature didn't make a sound in response, but he maintained his stoic expression in a long moment of silence.

"I-I don't want to fight you," Leaf stammered.

The strange being blinked slowly. Leaf took a little more caution to avoid looking directly into his eyes. Would her words be enough to prove she meant no harm?

"Why don't you tell me more about your own Pokémon?" he spoke into her mind, his eyes locked onto Squirtle.

Squirtle gave the strange being a confused stare while Leaf swallowed the nervous lump in her throat.

"W-Well," Leaf started to explain, "Squirtle has been my closest friend…for four years since I was eight, even before I became a Pokémon trainer."

"Squirtle!" the Squirtle chirped to emphasize its trainer's point.

The creature returned his gaze to Leaf.

"Have you," Leaf continued, "ever had a friend before?"

The creature took a moment to think of the question in silence before he shook his head.

"What brought him into such a dreadful state to begin with?" the being asked her.

Leaf couldn't help but shudder. The voice sounded so…inquisitive. She wasn't sure if his tone implied concern or anger. Leaf lowered her head and turned her gaze away.

"I," Leaf stammered, "we fought a Pikachu, but then it…"

One Pikachu had been enough to faint all three members of her team. She didn't seem to realize tears welled in her eyes.

_No one wants a retard for a Pokémon trainer!_

Maybe they were right. Maybe she wasn't fit to be a Pokémon trainer.

"We…I…wanted to get out…find a Pokémon Center…but I…I got lost," she concluded between tears and sobs.

Little did she know, the strange being's expression softened in his eyes. Without saying anything, he knelt down until his violet eyes met with Leaf's brown ones.

"Child," he spoke into her head, "is something wrong?"

"Squirtle…" her Squirtle bleated, its eyes filled with worry.

Leaf didn't answer even as tears streamed down her cheeks. Sighing, the strange being reached his hand forward. The novice trainer noticed as he perched it on her shoulder. When he started gently kneading her shoulder, she couldn't help but lean into the touch.

Maybe this soothing touch could do for now.

After several minutes of silence, Leaf ran her hand down her Squirtle's back. Wiping the tears off her face, she pulled out her Pokédex and held it out before the creature. But much to her disappointment…

_{Pokémon unknown. No available data.}_

Sighing, Leaf stashed her Pokédex back into her bag while the strange being withdrew his hand.

"Well," the strange being mused, "if I am a Pokémon, then I'm an unnatural one at that."

At least she confirmed it was a Pokémon…probably one which hasn't been discovered yet.

"How can I repay you?" Leaf asked, "whatever it is you want, I'll do anything."

The strange Pokémon took a moment to think over the question. He didn't detect any signs of hostility from this girl, which eased some of his tension. But then, the image of his now sworn enemy flooded his mind without warning and he suppressed any urge to growl. Whatever the case, he couldn't risk getting captured again. He returned his gaze towards Leaf and observed as she fidgeted nervously.

"Before I answer," the strange Pokémon requested, "I must ask you to tell me your name."

Leaf slowly staggered to her feet and allowed her Squirtle to jump off her lap.

"I'm Leaf Aoyama," she answered, "what about you?"

The strange Pokémon closed his eyes softly.

"I am called Mewtwo."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where I might need a new co-writer/RP partner to help continue writing out this story before I start on the next chapter. If you know any writing roleplayers, be sure to let them know about it. I'm available on Fanfiction, DeviantArt and Tumblr.


	5. Sneaking Mewtwo into Pewter

Leaf resorted to staying close to Mewtwo's side as they made their way out of Viridian Forest. By the time they could see the edge of Pewter City meters ahead, the sun seemed to disappear over the horizon, giving way to the night sky. He might as well withhold his judgment for now, but at the moment, he might need to find some way to conceal his identity. He scanned his surroundings in search of something he could use for a disguise. Making a brief glance at Leaf, he observed as she cradled her Squirtle in her arms. She swayed her torso from side to side.

"Find anything?" Leaf asked even as she didn't gaze into his eyes.

Mewtwo spotted a large brown cloth on top of a stack of crates. He held out his hand and using his telekinesis, he yanked the cloth off the crates. He wasted no time as he draped it over shoulders, forming it into a makeshift cloak which concealed his body. He returned his gaze back to Leaf.

"Where will you go from here?" she asked softly.

Mewtwo lowered his head took a moment to think over the question. Part of him wanted to go back to the mountain to seek solitude. But then, a mental reminder was enough for him to brush off the idea. Even if he went back, he was sure they could return to that place and capture him again. Maybe he didn't have anywhere else to go. He then shifted his focus onto Leaf.

He wasn't sure why, but there was something about Leaf…specifically her mind…which stirred his curiosity. Well, that and the fact she was younger than the previous humans he met before.

Would a third time be the charm?

"Leaf," Mewtwo request, "if it's not too much to ask, I wish to accompany you."

Leaf blinked twice as she gave Mewtwo a confused stare.

"W-Why is that?" she blurted.

He hesitated and simply breathed for a moment, running previous encounters through his memory.

"I don't often give humans a chance to stay around me, given their…tendencies, but I can make an exception for you," Mewtwo explained, "I'm looking for somewhere safe to stay and you seem respectable enough to be in the company of until then."

He tried what humans called a smile, attempting to be reassuring while tucking his tail to try and keep the rag-cloak of sorts from fluttering too much with his own fidgeting. He glanced around at the sounds of the quietening twilight conversations, refraining from reading her mind.

Leaf took a moment to process the request in her head. She couldn't help but wonder if he had been lonely this whole time. Still, she smiled and extended her hand.

"Sure," she nodded in agreement, "you can come along."

Mewtwo gave Leaf a soft smile before grasping her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. From there, she led him north, bypassing the patches of tall grass. Shortly before they set foot into Pewter City, Mewtwo pulled the makeshift hood over his head. To the northwest of where they were, they spotted the Pokémon Center.

"Yeah," Leaf muttered to herself, "I guess Pidgey and Bellsprout need healing, too."

Mewtwo blinked once before he followed Leaf towards the entrance to the Pokémon Center. Once they stepped into the lobby, he started searching for a place to sit while she stepped over to the counter.

"Welcome to the Pokémon Center," the nurse greeted while giving Leaf a bow.

Leaf simply nodded as she placed the three Poké Balls onto the tray.

"Could you take care of my Pokémon?" Leaf requested, not bothering to gaze into the nurse's eyes, "we just got out of Viridian Forest."

"Of course," the nurse smiled, "it'll be a few minutes."

The nurse took the tray and carried it over to the healing station. While she waited, Leaf glanced over her shoulder, noticing she couldn't find Red or Gary in the lounge section. Maybe they haven't shown up yet? Mewtwo settled onto a couch and kept his head down once he was cushioned by his tail, glancing around at everyone. The Pokémon who happened to be out of their Poké Balls in the room gazed at him and kept their distance but otherwise paid no mind to the unnatural stranger as long as he didn't provoke their beloved humans.

He focused on not probing anyone's minds, but thoughts were attempting to swim to him and he couldn't help but start picking up on some suspicious waves. He glanced up at Leaf and shuffled aside slightly to let her sit, letting her brainwaves swim to him. He was curious yet he was reluctant to ask questions which could make her uncomfortable. He wondered what she liked to eat, which might be useful to get the lot of them some food before they turned in for the night. Minutes later, Leaf went back to the counter and retrieved the Poké Balls from the tray.

"Thank you for waiting," the nurse smiled and gave a deep bow, "we've restored your Pokémon to full health. We hope to see you again."

Leaf gave the nurse a nod before she made her way back to the lounge chair. When she brought out her Squirtle, Pidgey and Bellsprout, they scanned their surroundings before they gathered before her with Pidgey perching on the arm of the lounge chair. Squirtle chirped and jumped onto Leaf's lap. She smiled and ran her hand down her starter's back.

"Hey, guys," Leaf chirped, "sorry the last battle didn't go so well."

"Squirtle," Squirtle gave Leaf a reassuring chirp.

Just as Bellsprout started climbing up the lounge chair, Leaf heard her Squirtle's stomach growling.

"Oh?" Leaf blurted, "are you guys hungry?"

Leaf's Pokémon answered with eager cries so she shifted her gaze towards Mewtwo.

"Hey," Leaf called over softly, "would you…like something to eat?"

He nodded over to her and sniffed at the air, glancing in the direction of the cafeteria where some teams were eating and chatting…too crowded for his liking. He curled his tail underneath him to keep it from twitching and shifted uncomfortably.

"Food would be appreciated, but I'd rather not draw too much attention to myself."

Was he eating out of habit because he knew they would worry if he didn't, or because he actually needed it? He hadn't quite figured out if he had the same biology as natural Pokémon, given his origin. Squirtle was already trotting eagerly towards the cafeteria, followed by Bellsprout.

"Ok," Leaf replied, "I'll be right back."

Leaf started following her Squirtle and Bellsprout to the cafeteria while her Pidgey perched on her shoulder. When they stopped at the counter, they took a few minutes to read the menu. While she ordered tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich for herself, Leaf also ordered a burger steak with a baked potato and specialty dishes for her own Pokémon.

"Will that be all, ma'am?" the clerk asked.

"Can I also get two cups of lemonade," Leaf requested, "and water for my Pokémon?"

The clerk nodded before she typed down the order. Leaf proceeded to pay for her meal order.

"Your food will be ready soon enough," the clerk told her.

Mewtwo relaxed a little in the meantime. He knew he'd have to pay her back somehow, so he let his gaze drift to the window. He listened as the room emptied out when teams went to either the cafeteria or rooms they had booked in the Center. He watched the trees sway in the wind and wondered whether he could assist her with being the camp-sorter for the times they were outside. It was a larger wilderness than it looked on a map, after all. He carefully stretched his neck and shoulders after a few minutes, having been still and tensed the whole time he'd been sitting there. Why was he worried? He was powerful and could easily get away if he wanted to.

Squirtle bounced eagerly, clicking his tongue impatiently while his eyes shone. Bellsprout simply seemed curious what manmade food for it would taste like. The Pidgey carefully preened herself. The clerk eventually brought the food over on a tray.

"Will you need help carrying this?"

Squirtle reached his paws up like he wanted to carry his own bowl.

"I got this," Leaf picked up the tray with caution.

The clerk nodded as Leaf made her way back to the lounge as slowly and carefully as possible. She set the tray down onto the coffee table before handing the plate of burger steak and baked potato to Mewtwo.

"Here you go, buddy," Leaf chirped.

Mewtwo gave Leaf a quizzical look while he took the plate out of Leaf's hands. She set the dishes next to her own Pokémon before she started digging into her soup and sandwich. Squirtle plonked himself down by his bowl on the coffee table and started eating his specialty salad happily. The Pidgey fluttered down and pecked at her seeds. Bellsprout scooped up the pellets with its leaves.

Mewtwo studied how Leaf ate her sandwich and glanced around before levitating the food and starting to take bites out of the burger steak once he cooled it off. He seemed to savor the rich meaty flavor.

"This is surprisingly pleasant," Mewtwo commented.

He dropped it back onto the plate when the doors opened, letting in a whoosh of cold air. He stared at a Pikachu as it bounded in and looked around curiously, followed by Red who perked up on seeing Leaf and headed over to where she sat.

"Hey, Leaf," Red called over, "looks like you did well catching more teammates."

Mewtwo cautiously picked up the food and continued eating, hoping neither of the boys would notice how his hands weren't human. Leaf made a brief glance at Red's new Pikachu.

"Yeah," Leaf agreed, "I see you caught a Pikachu."

Gary chuckled as he scratched his head.

"That little guy charged at us without warning," Gary mused.

Red shrugged at his unanswered question.

"Yeah, he's really tough," Red added, "he didn't want to stay in his Poké Ball either."

The Pikachu glanced over Leaf's team and smirked before waddling off towards the cafeteria. Squirtle and Bellsprout watched it cautiously, pausing in the stuffing of their mouths.

"He always seems hungry as well," he mumbled, "he's eaten my berry snack supply. I hope the Mart here has some more. Have you got a room for the night here yet?"

Mewtwo continued to eat silently, munching on the baked potato skin and all. He didn't mind that the potato skin was crispy and well-seasoned which gave it a rich flavor. All the more reason to not be wasteful, especially when humans had been kind enough to make the food in the first place.

"I hope to get a reservation after dinner," Leaf took a sip of her lemonade, "maybe tomorrow, we could explore the city a bit?"

Red stepped out of the lobby.

"That depends," Gary replied, "it has a science museum if you like that sort of stuff."

Leaf didn't say anything as she took a bite out of her sandwich and tapped her foot. Soon, Squirtle was the first to finish his meal as he climbed onto his trainer's lap.

"Gary, do you want me to get your food for you?" Red called over his shoulder as he headed into the cafeteria.

"Nah, I'll get it," he followed his rival in after letting his Pokémon out.

Mewtwo finished eating and sat still again, relieved he hadn't been noticed yet.

"I believe there is a Gym here, if that is on your to-do list," he spoke quietly into Leaf's mind.

Pidgey meanwhile got her fill of water and settled onto Leaf's shoulder again, preening once more. The novice trainer scratched her head in a moment of silence.

"Yeah," Leaf agreed, "I'll check it out before I leave this city."

By the time Leaf finished her meal, she returned her own Pokémon into their Poké Balls, taking a moment to reserve a room for her. With Red and Gary carrying their trays out into the lounge, she led Mewtwo up the stairs. He gave a simple nod and silently levitated his plate to the tray, following her upstairs when she left.

Red watched them and raised an eyebrow at Gary, whispering through a mouthful of food.

"Who's following her, anyway? Should we be worried?"

Gary shrugged and went back to his meal.

Once they entered the the guest room, she took note of two beds, a bookshelf and a large flatscreen TV. Squirtle took the opportunity to jump onto the bed, and Mewtwo stared at the bookcase in curiosity, going over and studying the titles before picking out a book and levitating with it over to the other bed.

"Intriguing. Perhaps humans are more complex and thoughtful than I assumed. No offense meant."

Leaf shifted her gaze towards Mewtwo.

"That's ok," she reassured him.

Leaf set her messenger bag onto the bed and pulled out her pajamas. She made another glance at the alien-like Pokémon before she shuffled into the bathroom. Mewtwo took note of the one particular book title _The Origins of Battling_. He had his eyes engrossed in the book as he started to read it, ignoring Leaf's movements. He would likely read until early in the morning. He wasn't accustomed to sleeping, and perhaps it would make the others feel safer knowing they were being watched over.

Squirtle watched Mewtwo and waddled his way over to him. He let the little turtle sit with him and started to telepathically read the book to him, getting him engrossed as well. This was intriguing, as it was nice to know they had hearts as well as brains, instead of greed.

However, he knew the same could never apply to his sworn enemy.

Mewtwo snapped out of his thoughts when Leaf emerged from the bathroom, now clad in her pajamas. She set her clothes down onto the dresser and climbed onto the bed, pulling out a Togepi doll before she hugged it close to her chest. He smiled a little at the Togepi doll and resumed reading to the Squirtle as it moved to curl up on the bed with her. Pidgey hid its head under its wing and seemed to chirp-snore in its sleep. Bellsprout huddled up to it.

He stopped reading aloud when the Squirtle seemed to doze off and continued reading silently, waiting for the trainer to wake up later on. Every now and then he would stretch his limbs and get some water before settling back into the other bed.

He took note of discussions of the distant past when Pokémon fought over territory, food and the like. The battles in question became violent to the point some unfortunate Pokémon ended up dead. Humans weren't so lucky either when they got caught in the crossfire. Over time, the destruction from the Pokémon fighting one another made the entire world hostile to everyone. Humans got fed up with the violence and destruction they started coming up with ways to tame the Pokémon.

Initially using nets and other forms of traps since Poké Balls didn't exist back then, humans resorted to trial and error in taming the Pokémon despite their lack of experience with dealing with them. Once some humans understood from the Pokémon's perspective and realized making them suppress their powers was counterproductive, they tried out engaging them in competitive battles. Though, instead of fights to the death, these battles were a matter of letting out their harnessed energy, which would benefit humans and Pokémon alike. From there, Pokémon battles became a sport and the monetary gain from this new sport allowed humans to repair their homes. Over time, laws were passed to ensure no Pokémon were killed in each battle, thus humans coexisted with Pokémon as natural habitats recovered from previous destructive events.

That should relieve Mewtwo, but a question still lingered in his head. Would humans in general take his sworn enemy seriously?

For now, Mewtwo went back to the bookshelf, browsing for another title to pick out next as the night loomed on.


	6. Wonderful Science of Museums

Red and Gary waited at the entrance to the Pewter Museum of Science the following morning. Red tapped his foot and watched his Pikachu sniff at a bush.

"She'll catch up with us, right?" Red pondered.

Gary scanned his surroundings before he shrugged.

"Maybe I should go get her if she doesn't show up," Gary suggested.

Luckily, they didn't have to wait as a few minutes later, Leaf scurried her way to the museum with Squirtle and Mewtwo following her.

"Hey, guys!" Leaf called over as she waved her hand.

He relaxed when he saw her and studied Mewtwo again in the daylight.

"Morning," Gary greeted, "how'd you and…uh, your friend sleep?"

Mewtwo turned so the cloak hid most of his features, scanning the small town and examining the attempted hidden building next to the museum. It carried the same sort of scent as the lab, making his skin crawl slightly. Squirtle waddled over to Pikachu with caution, backing away when its cheeks sparked, enticing a giggle from the mouse-like Pokémon.

"Pika pika?" Pikachu chirped.

Squirtle blinked twice before it smiled.

"Squirtle!"

"We slept pretty well," Leaf placed her hand behind her head, making a brief glance at Mewtwo, "as for the strange buddy over here? He's just…tagging along."

Red and Gary gave Mewtwo confused stares. Red nodded, giving a skeptical expression.

"Ok. Are we ready to go in and explore the museum?"

Pidgey watched Mewtwo silently who narrowed an eye. He curled up his tail again, wanting to not be the center of attention. Leaf's bird turned away and focused her eyes at Pikachu and Squirtle.

"Sure, why not?" Leaf chirped, eyes closing softly as she swayed her torso side to side.

Gary nodded and brushed a stray hair out of his eye.

"Then right this way, ma'am," Gary gestured to the door.

Shortly after they stepped into the museum, they noticed several boys from different age groups gathering around a large flatscreen TV near the reception area. On the screen, a girl no older than 12 twirled gracefully in a strapless pink dress with a skirt which reached her ankles and a magenta sash belt. Her wavy salmon-colored hair reached below her shoulder blades and her radiant purple eyes sparkled with beauty. Her soft pink lips formed a smile as she bore her sparkly white teeth especially to match with her pale skin. Her matching detached sleeves had flounces which flowed with each movement she made and she proudly presented her pearl earrings and pearl necklace, a golden tiara sitting atop her head like she was a princess.

Leaf froze, covered her ears with both hands and squeezed her eyes shut, tilting her head away from the TV screen.

"Leaf," Mewtwo asked quietly, "is something wrong?"

 _{Ladies and gentlemen,}_ the announcement boomed from the TV screen, _{please welcome Miss Eloise Suzanne Flora Prudence Labelle, the Beautiful Baroness from Kalos!}_

Mewtwo gave the fans a confused stare as they cheered with great enthusiasm. He gazed back at her, scanning the thoughts in her mind. Squirtle stayed close and looked up at her with concern. Red noticed Leaf from the reception desk, having paid their entrance fee, and frowned, going to gently touch her shoulder.

"Leaf?" Red paused, "is this too noisy for you?"

"I-It's not the noise," Leaf muttered, keeping her gaze away from the TV screen.

Leaf and Mewtwo followed Red and Gary stepped into the main exhibit gallery while Squirtle glared at the girl on the TV screen, sticking his tongue out at her before scurrying to catch up with his trainer. Red kept an eye on Leaf, holding up his Pikachu to let him examine the fossils. She stepped over to a display holding various fossils inside before she checked her messenger bag. It didn't take much long before she found her noise-canceling headphones still in good working condition.

She felt relieved she was able to take them with her just in case, considering she quickly slipped them on. Leaf shifted her gaze towards Mewtwo as he examined the fossils in the display. It didn't take long before he moved to check another case. Was there not another fossil here? In the meantime, Gary focused on a display of a fossilized Kabutops, rubbing his chin with intrigue. Red carried his Pikachu as they gazed at a display of an Aerodactyl model with a case holding an Aerodactyl fossil sitting next to it.

Mewtwo readjusted the cloak slightly, stopping to lean against the wall when he checked all the fossils with no luck in his search and gave a heavy sigh. Squirtle tried to peek up into a case and held his arms up to Leaf, inviting her to pick him up. She smiled and lifted her starter Pokémon into her arms, allowing him to gaze at the fossils in the display.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle let out an excited chirp.

"Awesome, right?" Leaf grinned.

Leaf slightly rocked back and forth while she kept her eyes glued onto the display. He nodded and gently placed his hands on the glass. Mewtwo watched people climb up the stairs curiously and squinted slightly to read the sign on the wall next to it. Red was already making his way over to the stairs and glanced over to Leaf, wondering if he should call for her to join them. Pikachu and Squirtle exchanged glances just as Gary took a step back from the fossilized Kabutops.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu called over.

"Squirtle!"

Squirtle leaned to the side which caused Leaf to snap out of her thoughts.

"Oh?" she blurted.

Leaf shifted her gaze towards Red's Pikachu as her Squirtle reached his paws out as if he wanted to snag a cookie off the counter. She started her stroll towards the stairs, encouraging Mewtwo to follow close behind via levitating over the floor.

"Hey, Leaf," Red placed his hand behind his head, "there's a space exhibit upstairs. Wanna check it out?"

Mewtwo didn't seem to mind the encouragement to stay by her side as he set his feet onto the ground. Gary waited by the stairs and watched them.

"Glad your Pikachu's calmed down," Gary mused.

Red glanced over his shoulder and locked eyes onto his rival.

"Well," Red beckoned, "you coming or not?"

Gary answered by sprinting up the stairs. Red facepalmed for a brief moment before he, Leaf and Mewtwo started climbing the stairs, making their way to the second floor. The first thing they noticed was a display case hugging the wall while holding a Moon Stone and its larger cousin. Mewtwo's eyes wandered until they found Gary standing next to a little boy examining the Moon Stone.

"A Moon Stone, huh?" Gary commented, his finger on his chin.

"What's so special about it, anyway?" the little boy shrugged, "looks like an ordinary rock to me!"

Mewtwo sniffed at the air slightly and moved closer to the stone, staring at it. He seemed to have picked up something within the rock. Perhaps it was a scent undetectable by the human nose. Red came up to the boy's other side.

"Well, it's supposed to be from space," Red drawled, "maybe it's a secret spaceship, for all we know?"

The little boy ignored Red's response and skipped over to a display of a model space shuttle.

"What do you think, Gary?"

In the meantime, Leaf focused on a holographic projection displaying the map of the universe. She loosened her arms, allowing her Squirtle to leap onto the floor. Mewtwo glanced at her and moved back to stay close to her, studying the technology which projected the hologram as well as the hologram itself. Something far away in his mind was nagging at him the stars were missing. He couldn't remember how he knew about stars, though. The moon seemed familiar, too, though he wasn't sure why.

Mewtwo snapped out of his thoughts and glanced over his shoulder when he heard footsteps from the stairs. Strangely enough, a young man with dark spiky hair arrived at the second floor, his eyes never seeming to open for some reason. An elderly man standing in front of a poster displaying the origins of the universe shifted his gaze towards the young lad and his face lit up.

"Ah," he marveled, "if it isn't Brock?"

Red almost gave himself whiplash turning so fast.

"Brock as in the Gym Leader?" he whispered to Gary.

Pikachu and Squirtle gave expressions which amounted to just as amazed. Mewtwo studied him briefly, sensing his powerful aura. He heard others talking about Gyms and Badges, and perhaps this was one of the suppliers. He placed his hand on Leaf's shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"W-What is it?" Leaf asked softly.

Leaf shifted her gaze towards Mewtwo even as his hood still concealed his head. He glanced down at her then looked back to Brock.

"The Gym Leader of this city has graced us with his presence," Mewtwo told her.

Squirtle seemed to look up at her with admiration in his eyes. Red took a breath and started to walk over, Pikachu at his heels.

"Hi, Brock, sir?" Red greeted.

Brock paused in his tracks and shifted his gaze towards Red.

"Well, nice to meet you," Brock greeted, "what's your name?"

Red grinned before he bowed his head.

"I am Satoshi Akai from Pallet Town," he introduced himself, "but you can call me Red."

"Pika!" Pikachu squeaked happily and waved his hand.

Gary harrumphed and walked over to stand next to Red.

"I'm Gary Oak," Gary added, "when does your Gym open?"

Mewtwo watched as Squirtle started to waddle over slowly. He couldn't help but smile at the little starter's enthusiasm.

"In a couple hours," Brock shrugged, "I'm just taking a break from gym battles for a bit."

"Squirt!" Squirtle called out enthusiastically.

Red, Gary and Brock shifted their gaze at the Squirtle just as it stopped in its tracks.

"Hey," Brock paused, "whose…Squirtle is that?"

Gary chuckled nervously. Leaf couldn't help but stammer nervously as she skittered over to the others, crouching down before her Squirtle.

"S-Sorry about that, Brock," Leaf blurted, running her hand along her starter's head, "this one's mine."

"Hey, that's cool," Brock said.

The Squirtle closed his eyes and smiled under his trainer's hand.

"Squirt!"

Mewtwo continued to keep his distance, having studied how little the humans bossed them around and how much freedom they had. He wanted to relax around the humans who gave their Pokémon some freedom, as it seemed to be a more common thing now. He still kept a skeptical eye in case someone shady was hiding behind the curtains plotting some conniving scheme against any Pokémon around here. He knew better than to let his guard down.

"Once your Gym opens up," Red requested, "maybe one of us could challenge you to a battle?"

Gary scoffed.

"Red," Gary reminded him, "Brock specializes in Rock types. Can your own Pokémon even stand a chance to beat him?"

Red groaned softly and lowered his head, clamping his mouth shut. Leaf staggered to her feet, not wanting to stare into Brock's eyes.

"W-Well," Leaf stammered, "I also have a Bellsprout, but I…am not sure if they're even ready."

Brock nodded as he placed his hand on his chest.

"If that's what you're worried about," Brock suggested, "maybe you can practice with another trainer at the Gym, and you can watch me battle one of your friends."

Upon cue, Gary winked and pointed at Brock.

"Count me in, then!" Gary cheered.

Red puffed out his cheeks.

"Guess I'll fight another trainer, too," he muttered under his breath, "even though you two have the better type advantages."

Mewtwo smiled and went back to studying the hologram, listening to the group. Not that Brock was likely to recognize him, but he was starting to get nervous himself and had to hold his tail to stop it from coming out under the cloth.

* * *

Red, Gary, Leaf and Mewtwo left the museum a couple hours later and made their way to the Pewter City Gym. Rows of bleachers sat on two sides of the gym while the large court had sand covering the surface and large rocks decorating the arena. On opposite sides of the court's length stood rectangular platforms for the trainers to stand on. Red folded his arms while Leaf examined her surroundings. On the far end of the room, Brock stood on the opposing platform.

"Where…is the practice arena, anyway?" Leaf asked.

"Maybe there's a side room? I wouldn't wanna get in the way of the main battle," Red looked around for any doors at the walls.

Mewtwo scanned the area, trying to figure out the likely area without yet knowing exactly what Pokemon Brock had and how much space it would take. Gary tilted to his left and locked eyes onto a smaller arena with a couple campers and picnicker trainers tending to their own Pokémon, a thick glass window allowing the trainers inside to catch the view of the larger arena and a sliding door adjacent to the window.

"It's not much," Gary gestured to the smaller arena, "but you can watch the big event while you two practice some moves!"

Gary winked before he sprinted over to the other platform overlooking the large arena. He wasted no time as he sent out his Bulbasaur. Brock simply smiled as Red, Leaf and Mewtwo started shuffling over to the door to the smaller arena.

"Duh," Red rolled his eyes as he walked over to the door.

Mewtwo glanced around at the bleachers and practice room. He was tempted to ask if he could go outside, while also being tempted to stay to get himself used to being around so many potential threats. The last time he'd been around this many humans, they had been talking about getting a cage for him. He leaned against the wall and took some deep breaths, trying to calm his mind. Leaf paused in her tracks and glanced over her shoulder, giving the alien-like Pokémon a worried expression.

"Leaf?" Mewtwo paused.

Leaf clasped her hands behind her back and slowly approached the cloaked Pokémon.

"Are…you doing ok?" Leaf asked softly.

Mewtwo hesitated for a moment before he shook his head. Sighing softly, Leaf reached into her bag and sent out her Pidgey, who scanned her surroundings and gave her trainer a confused look.

"Hey, Pidgey," Leaf offered, gesturing to Mewtwo, "wanna keep him company for a while?"

Pidgey shifted gazes between Leaf and Mewtwo in a moment of silence.

"Pijo!" Pidgey chirped happily before she perched on Mewtwo's shoulder.

Mewtwo couldn't help but give Leaf a smile just as she noticed Brock sending out his Geodude out in the larger arena.

"Thank you," he smiled at the Pidgey and cushioned himself with his tail, glad he was comfortable to do so.

Mewtwo turned his head to watch the humans, relieved they were all distracted while Red approached a trainer.

"Hey, you up for a battle?" Red called over, "I've got some type weaknesses and need training. Apparently."

He glanced out at Gary and seemed to glare briefly, wishing he didn't have to wait to battle Brock. The picnicker facing Red smiled as she held a TM case in her hands.

"That's perfectly fine," she told Red, "I can offer lessons on moves your Pokémon can use."

Leaf confronted a camper trainer at another arena and still avoiding making eye contact, swaying her torso side to side. Red noticed the picnicker displaying a couple TMs inside.

"Sure," Red shrugged, "whatever helps."

Red approached the picnicker and examined the TMs while Mewtwo sat down on the bench, keeping himself concealed underneath the makeshift cloth.

"So," Red peered into the case, "my two mains are Charmander and Pikachu. What do you suggest?"

"For your Charmander, I recommend Brick Break," the picnicker suggested, "for your Pikachu, Iron Tail. Does that sound good?"

Red nodded eagerly as Leaf sent out her Squirtle to square off against the camper's own Geodude, the tiny turtle taking the time to practice his Water Gun.


	7. Leaf's First Rocky Gym Battle

Leaf and Red were rather astounded when Gary beat Brock and earned the Boulder Badge. By now, Leaf's Squirtle and Bellsprout were pumped up while Red let his Pikachu and Charmander rest on a bench. The Pewter Gym Leader needed a break before Leaf could go next, so she passed the time sitting next to Mewtwo while playing a game on a mobile console she brought with her, giving him the first taste of a human's creative aesthetic.

Mewtwo was intrigued by her creativity, as well as the console. Humans certainly did have more to them than met the eye. They weren't all about the creatures of their world, and he liked how their creativity spread to such digital means.

The silence broke when Gary and Brock stepped into the smaller arena. Red stretched his arms while his rival shifted his gaze towards Leaf.

"Hey, Leaf!" Gary called over, "how about you challenge him next? You have the type advantages?"

Leaf froze without warning and gave Gary a blank stare.

"Huh?!" she warbled.

Mewtwo shifted his gaze between Gary, Brock and Leaf before he placed his hand onto her shoulder.

"I'll look after your possessions if you wish," Mewtwo spoke into her head in reassurance.

While she swung her legs back and forth, Leaf shifted her eyes between Mewtwo and Brock. Slowly nodding, she set down her console and rose to her full height.

"O-Ok," Leaf answered, "I'll give it a shot."

Squirtle and Bellsprout perked up their heads before they skittered after Leaf. While Gary made his way to a bench, the female trainer led her Pokémon to the sliding door. Brock stepped out into the large arena while she returned her Bellsprout into its Poké Ball. Brock sauntered his way to one platform overlooking the arena while Leaf made her way to the other platform. She didn't bother to lock eyes onto the Gym Leader as her Squirtle took a battle stance in front of her.

"You can see just by looking at Pokémon how rock hard my willpower is," Brock started, "they're all as hard as a rock…because they're all rock types! You sure you can handle them?"

"Y-Yeah," Leaf nodded sheepishly as she rocked side to side, "I'm ready to give it a go."

Brock reached into his utility belt and pulled out his own Poké Ball. Leaf made a brief glance at Mewtwo as he stared through the window. Red and Gary, having made their way to the bleachers, also gave an enthusiastic grin as if they were excited for an action movie to start.

"Then show me your best," Brock beckoned, "go, Geodude!"

Brock tossed his Poké Ball and a Geodude emerged, taking a battle stance.

"Geo!" the Geodude cried out.

Leaf's Squirtle jumped onto the arena and pawed at the ground, giving the Geodude a fierce stare.

"Squirtle," Squirtle grumbled as it scratched at the sand, "Squirt, Squirt, Squirt…"

Mewtwo noticed as a referee stood from the bleachers and stood before the railing.

"The battle between the Gym Leader of Pewter City, Brock," the referee announced, "and Leaf Aoyama from Pallet Town will begin shortly! Both sides may use only two Pokémon, but only the challenger is allowed to use substitutions."

Leaf kept her breathing steady as she felt her spine stiffen. All she could hope for was her progress to pay off. She took a moment to scan her surroundings, figuring out how her Pokémon could use the terrain to their advantage.

"Begin!"

Brock widened his stance.

"Geodude, Tackle!" Brock commanded.

Squirtle dived behind a rock for cover and was already gathering water to shoot on her command, peeking around the terrain. Red leaned forward slightly, intrigued by her battling style. Geodude kept its search for the Squirtle, swinging its fists back and forth. Once it reached a certain spot…

"Water Gun!" Leaf ordered.

Upon cue, Squirtle emerged from its cover and fired a spray of water out of its mouth, splashing the Geodude from behind. The rock Pokémon flinched and crashed headfirst into the ground. It slowly struggled to get up while Brock stared in disbelief.

"Did you," Brock exclaimed, "did you just land a critical hit?!"

Leaf stared in awe as Squirtle glanced back at her and gave her a wink. Still, the Geodude returned back to its battle stance. The Squirtle didn't celebrate for long as he stepped out into the open, eyes fixed on the Geodude.

"Tackle again!" Brock called out.

Geodude charged at the Squirtle without warning. The blue turtle didn't have enough time to jump out of the way as the rock Pokémon collided into him, sending him tumbling onto the ground. Leaf flinched and tilted her head to the side for only a brief moment. When she made a quick peek at her Squirtle, he was flailing his legs, having landed on his back.

"Come on, Squirtle," Leaf pleaded nervously, "you can do it!"

He struggled before trying to rhythmically rock himself before the Geodude had another chance to tackle him again. Though he almost hoped it would, perhaps it would send him right way up again. It wouldn't take too much energy to take the impact with the bottom of his shell. He tried to see where his enemy was and readied to hold his tail up to put his shell in position. When the Geodude charged at the Squirtle again, the blue turtle withdrew his head, limbs and tail inside his shell. The rock Pokémon collided into Squirtle once again, sending him flying. After he landed on his belly, Squirtle emerged from his shell and stood to his full height.

"Ok," Leaf called over, "get him with another Water Gun!"

Squirtle fired another blast of water, so Geodude jumped out of the way. However, Squirtle started changing his aim, the trail of the water stream following the rock Pokémon in its tracks. Once the Geodude got cornered near a large boulder, the water spray soaked it to the point it caused the Geodude to collapse.

"Geodude is unable to battle," the referee announced, "Squirtle wins!"

Squirtle's face lit up and happily jumped up and down. Brock didn't say anything as he recalled his Geodude. He reached into his belt pouch and pulled out another Poké Ball.

"Pretty good, kid," Brock praised, "but I'm just getting pumped up! I choose Onix!"

Brock tossed his Poké Ball and sent out the massive rocky snake. Without warning, Onix let out a loud roar which echoed across the gym. Such a loud noise pierced Leaf's ears like a knife and she let out a pained groan while she covered her ears with both hands. Mewtwo cringed against the noise but stood when he saw Leaf's reaction.

Squirtle shook his head to clear the noise and looked back at his trainer with concern, already bubbling more another Water Gun and waiting for her to give a command for him to continue or come back and comfort her. Mewtwo didn't hesitate as he levitated off the bleachers and landed next to the young challenger. Red and Gary stared in awe from the cloaked figure having pulled such a stunt before looking back at Leaf.

"Are you ok?" Mewtwo spoke into Leaf's mind.

Leaf made a brief glance at Mewtwo and nodded at him.

"I-I'll be fine," Leaf answered.

Leaf returned her gaze to Brock, who stared in confusion at the strange figure coming to her aid all of a sudden.

"Let's go, Squirtle!" Leaf called.

"Squirtle!"

Squirtle started charging at the Onix. He stopped and stepped back, eyeing Brock silently as he focused his eyes back at the Onix.

"Try and catch it in a Wrap!"

The Onix moved surprisingly fast for its size and tried to wrap the giant rocks around the tiny turtle and trap it. Mewtwo watched it and stiffened, multiple scenarios running through his head. Wasn't it likely that Pokémon could die in scenarios like this? The Squirtle spun his head as the rocky snake's body started closing in on him. The blue turtle stared straight into the Onix's eyes before he thought fast and jumped up. The Onix made a surprised noise and tried to follow the Squirtle's movement. Brock also gave the turtle Pokémon an intense gaze as he landed on top of a boulder.

"Onix, Tackle!"

The Onix positioned itself to headbutt the Squirtle, both Pokémon facing each other.

"Water Gun!" Leaf commanded.

Squirtle jumped up again and fired a spray of water at the Onix's head. The rocky snake retreated and tried to evade the spray, blinking the water out of its eyes and attempting to slither to a dry side to attempt another Tackle. The tiny turtle landed on another boulder, panting heavily as he stared down the Onix. After a moment, the rocky snake Pokémon charged forth and collided its head into the boulder, the impact causing it to crumble. Squirtle quickly jumped to escape the collapsing debris.

Once the dust dissipated, the Onix shook its head to rid the specks of rock from its face as it reared up again, the other rocks shifting and grinding against each other. It also started panting as it searched for its opponent.

"Do you think that Onix is about done?" Red bit his lip.

Gary didn't say much as his eyes wandered until they locked onto the Squirtle. The tiny turtle almost tripped on his own feet but managed to widen his stance to keep himself from falling over.

"Squirtle's just as exhausted," Gary added.

Still, Brock was not done yet as he clenched his fists.

"All right, Onix," Brock ordered, "let's switch things up! Rock Tomb!"

Onix shook itself to clear its head and used its tail to pick up rocks, throwing them at the turtle to entomb him. Squirtle watched and quickly withdrew into his shell, hoping he wouldn't have any of his delicate skin touched by the moving rocks. Mewtwo couldn't help but tense up again, but he knew he shouldn't interfere by going out of his way to protect the tiny turtle. It was only a second before the rocks trapped the poor Squirtle inside. Leaf stared in disbelief and shuddered as the rocks remained still.

Squirtle waited for everything to stop moving before crawling carefully, making the gap between two rocks bigger and moving to stand unsteadily, leaning back against one of them before keeling over. The Onix seemed to roar victoriously and hit the end of its tail to the ground, kicking up dust. The referee held up a flag to Brock's side.

"Squirtle is unable to battle," he announced, "Onix wins the battle!"

Mewtwo huffed both in relief and disappointment as he glanced at Leaf softly.

"He performed admirably," he tried to reassure her.

While Leaf withdrew her Squirtle into his Poké Ball, Mewtwo placed his hand on her shoulder. The audience didn't pay much attention to what the cloaked figure was doing, but Brock caught a small glimpse of the figure's three digit hand. Still, his challenger pulled out another Poké Ball and raised her arm back.

"Let's go, Bellsprout!" Leaf called out.

Leaf sent out her Bellsprout as it landed gracefully onto the terrain. Mewtwo withdrew his hand and made his way back to the bleachers. Still, the small plant Pokémon gazed up, daunted by the size of his opponent. The Onix arched to put its head at the ground level, peering at the little plant and seeming amused. Brock raised an eyebrow.

"Tackle!" Brock ordered.

The Onix moved back slightly, clearly winding up for its attack. Leaf steeled herself while she kept her gaze on her Bellsprout.

"Bellsprout," Leaf called, "dodge!"

Just as the Onix charged at the Bellsprout, the small flower Pokémon leapt out of the way. The Onix followed it with its eyes and tried another Tackle, spreading across the field.

"Try another Wrap!"

Onix started to move its tail to try and catch the plant between two sections of its body, though this would be more difficult than with the chunky turtle. The attack didn't work as Bellsprout jumped up fast shortly before Onix coiled itself.

"Ok," Leaf instructed, "get him with a Vine Whip!"

The Onix tried to shield its head with its tail, though the sharp edges of its rocks grew duller as its health depleted rapidly.

"She's got this in the bag now!" Red perked his brow up.

Bellsprout jumped onto the tip of the rocky snake's tail and slammed its head with another Vine Whip. In a matter of seconds, the Onix collapsed to the floor while the small plant Pokémon jumped off and landed gracefully on the ground.

"Onix is unable to battle," the referee announced all of a sudden, "the victory goes to Leaf Aoyama from Pallet Town!"

While Red and Gary cheered enthusiastically, Leaf didn't make any sound but she couldn't help but smile as she fluttered her hands. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Brock sighed while he returned his Onix into its Poké Ball.

"Well," Brock let out an amused chuckle, "it seems I underestimated you, kid. Maybe you could take on the League someday."

Leaf's face lit up.

"Y-You really think so?" Leaf stammered as she blushed.

Brock nodded as he stepped off the platform, making his way towards the female trainer. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a badge.

"As proof of your victory," Brock declared, "take this official Pokémon League Badge…the Boulder Badge!"

Even as Leaf avoided staring into Brock's eyes, she still smiled as she held out her hand, allowing the Pewter Gym Leader to place the badge on her palm.

"I could give you a badge case since this is your first badge," Brock continued, "but the only ones we have right now are red."

"I'm ok with that," Leaf reassured him.

Bellsprout waddled over and jumped happily, seeming to copy her as he flapped his leaves.

"Bellsprout!" the Bellsprout chirped, "Bellsprout!"

Mewtwo nodded at Pidgey, encouraging the bird to fly over to Leaf's shoulder and nuzzle her face.

"Daww," Leaf smiled, "thanks, buddy!"

After Leaf retrieved a badge case and placed her first badge inside, she stashed the case into her messenger bag before she returned Bellsprout and Pidgey into their Poké Balls. Brock also handed her a TM labeled Rock Tomb, encouraging her to stash it into her own TM Case. Mewtwo, Red and Gary left the bleachers and met up with Leaf at the entrance to the gym.

"So," Red offered, "you going to heal up?"

Leaf nodded and placed her hand behind her head.

"Yeah," she answered, "before I head out."

Leaf gave Brock another nod before she followed Mewtwo out of the gym, determined to make their way to the Pokémon Center. Once the doors slid shut, Brock stepped over to the boys, catching their attention.

"Hey, who's the guy in the cloak?" Brock asked, "I assume you trust him enough to let her being around him."

Red and Gary exchanged confused glances in a moment of silence.

"Beats me," Gary shrugged while he scratched his head, "we didn't even get a chance to ask him."

"I guess he's…eccentric or something," Red added.

The Pewter Gym Leader gave a blank stare while he folded his arms.

"Eccentric," Brock drawled, "right…"


	8. A Seviper Under the Pageant Persona

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning for a nasty case of bullying.

Once late afternoon rolled around, Leaf and Mewtwo set foot into Route Three. With Red staying behind to challenge Brock, they might as well travel long enough to make it to Mount Moon. Mewtwo was attempting to relax since he didn't have to worry about being in a human area, and would occasionally crouch to examine different types of flowers. Granted, Leaf squared off against a lass trainer where her Pidgey defeated the lass's Oddish rather easily before they continued further into the route.

So far, Leaf documented a male Nidoran, an Ekans and a Mankey into her Pokédex, but she was in the mood for catching at least two Pokémon before they reached the Pokémon Center. She didn't have to search far as she spotted a female Nidoran nibbling on a berry on the ground. She held out her Pokédex and took a moment to record her new findings.

_{Nidoran, the Poison Pin Pokémon. Its highly toxic barbs are thought to have developed as protection for this small-bodied Pokémon. When enraged, it releases a horrible toxin from its horn. Although they're small, they should be treated with extra caution.}_

"Nido?" the Nidoran perked her head up.

Leaf grinned before she sent out her Pidgey.

"Ok, Pidgey!" Leaf chirped, "let's get it with a Gust!"

The Pidgey flapped her wings and sent a powerful wind gust which flipped the blue Nidoran onto her back. Leaf took the hint and tossed a Poké Ball at it. Once the Poké Ball opened up and captured the stunned Pokémon, it dropped to the ground. Leaf gestured her hand to count with each shake from the Poké Ball. After it shook three times, its release button flashed a green color. Mewtwo couldn't help but smile as she recalled her Pidgey.

"Will you need to restock soon?" Mewtwo asked, "how many do you have thus far?"

Leaf took a moment to check her bag before she retrieved the Poké Ball.

"I should have enough until after we leave Mount Moon," Leaf assured him, "now I just gotta find one more Pokémon to add up to five."

Mewtwo didn't say much else as he and Leaf continued their stroll past the large patch of grass in the Route. When they turned at a corner, they stopped in their tracks when they laid their eyes on a couple youngsters, a lass and several bug catchers sprawled all over the ground. Leaf felt a chill trickle down her spine, yet Mewtwo noticed doodles on each of the trainers' faces.

"Odd," Mewtwo commented.

And sure enough, their eyes wandered as they spotted a Jigglypuff huffing as it drew squiggles on a bug catcher's face. The Jigglypuff noticed them and puffed up, clearly displeased that she missed potential canvasses.

"You seem offended," Mewtwo spoke.

Mewtwo shifted his gaze towards Leaf.

"What is it?" Leaf paused.

"Whatever happened here," Mewtwo warned, "there's a chance she'll do the same thing to you."

Leaf simply stared down the Jigglypuff as she widened her stance.

"This was your doing, wasn't it?" Leaf accused, pointing to the sleeping crowd.

"Jiggly!"

Leaf reached into her messenger bag and pulled out her noise-canceling headphones and a Poké Ball. Once she slipped on the headphones, she sent out her Squirtle.

"Well, Jigglypuff," Leaf said, "I hope you don't mind joining my team."

Leaf made a brief glance at her Squirtle as he scratched at the ground with his front paws.

"Squirt, Squirt, Squirt…"

"Squirtle, Tackle!" Leaf pointed at the Jigglypuff.

Squirtle dashed forward, tackling the Jigglypuff and aiming to get the pen out of her paw. Perhaps that would help distract her. The puffball's eyes widened as her pen flew up into the air. She staggered a little before she glared at the Squirtle.

"Puff!" the Jigglypuff snapped.

"Squirtle!"

Without warning, Squirtle sprayed bubbles out of his mouth. Mewtwo blinked twice as he observed the tiny turtle.

"Interesting," he thought to himself.

Mewtwo wondered if he should retrieve the pen. It may well be a good bargaining tool. The Jigglypuff turned her back on the Squirtle trying to shield her face. When the barrage stopped, she tried to run over and Double-Slap her opponent.

"Tackle again!" Leaf called.

Just as Jigglypuff was almost within reach of her target, Squirtle tackled into her and sent her flying into a tree trunk. Leaf nodded with a grin and threw a Poké Ball at the balloon Pokémon. Once it tapped Jigglypuff's head, her body materialized into particles which allowed the Poké Ball to pull it inside before it fell to the ground. Leaf watched carefully as it shook slowly, gesturing her hands to count in sync. Three more shakes and the release button flashed green.

"That…was close!" Leaf sighed, "what do we do, now?"

Using his telekinesis, Mewtwo retrieved the pen before he handed it to Leaf.

"There should be a Center not too far from here," Mewtwo told her, "maybe we'll have a celebratory dinner."

Leaf gave Mewtwo a soft smile before she picked up the Poké Ball holding the newly caught Jigglypuff. After removing her headphones and stashing them into her bag, she scooped up her Squirtle into her arms. She and Mewtwo continued their trek through the Route.

Without warning, Mewtwo perked his head up when he heard voices and scanned his surroundings around for the source. Strange, they recently passed another patch of grass, so the Center should be a short walking distance. Leaf froze in her tracks when she spotted three familiar faces out of the corner of her eye. She recognized the girl reclining on a beach chair with an ornate teacup in her hand. She felt her chest tighten and sweat beads coating her forehead. She still tried to keep her breathing as stable as she could.

"Leaf?" Mewtwo paused.

Mewtwo made a brief glance at the girl on the beach chair and narrowed his eyes when he recognized her as she read The Notebook. Two boys stood nearby as they stretched their limbs. Eloise dressed in a fancy yet modest dress with a skirt reaching below her knees even when she still had her pearl necklace and pearl earrings.

Eloise carried a well-groomed shiny Eevee in her arms, dressed in a lavender chiffon scarf tied in a classy knot and embellished with a ruby heart-shaped gem encrusted in a golden heart-shaped brooch. A pink hairbow decorated the shiny Eevee's head. The Genetic Pokémon wasted no time in reading the girl's mind, only to regret it seconds later.

Mewtwo edged closer to Leaf to walk between the two groups, assuming the guys were doing their best to be bodyguards. Children could be strange sometimes, and what in Helix's name has she done to her Eevee?

"Steady, Leaf," Mewtwo spoke into her head, "deep breaths."

Leaf nodded silently as she scanned her surroundings. She remained close to Mewtwo's proximity as they slowly tiptoed past the rich girl and her two henchmen, whom Leaf could recognize. They hoped to slip past them unnoticed.

Unfortunately, luck wasn't on their side.

Just as they stepped over a slope, Leaf froze in her tracks when she felt a rock hit her back, eliciting a pained yelp out of her. Mewtwo glanced over his shoulder and glared at the boy with spiky ash-blond hair laughing his butt off.

"Nice one, Blake!" the turquoise-haired boy gave the other boy a thumbs up.

Leaf shuddered before she turned her head away from them. Still, the Genetic Pokémon clenched his fists.

"Hey, you!" a shrill girly voice yelled, "are you two part of a freak show?!"

Leaf moaned softly as she lowered her head. Mewtwo didn't bother to respond as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Before they could move farther, a Machamp, Rhydon and a Rapidash appeared out of nowhere and blocked their path, causing them to jump back. They both glanced over their shoulders and glared at Eloise and her two minions.

"What do you want, Ellie?!" Leaf snapped.

"My boys are bored," Eloise demanded in a harsh tone as she pointed at Leaf, "now entertain them with a Pokémon battle!"

Leaf let out a frustrated groan as she turned on her feet. She made only a brief glance at Mewtwo as Blake sent out his Muk, Arcanine, Gyarados and Cacturne while the other boy, Omari, sent out his Venomoth, Graveler, Exeggutor, Primeape and Kingler. Leaf suspected her own Pokémon might not stand a chance, although the trio of brats didn't seem interested in letting them go.

"I'll let you know if this gets worse," Leaf whispered.

How old were these children if they had such advanced Pokémon? This was clearly unfair to the novice trainer.

"Should I take your place?" Mewtwo offered.

Leaf shifted her gaze between Mewtwo and her bullies. Part of her wanted to take up the offer, but wasn't sure how they'll react. She took a step forward and made a brief glance at Eloise, still avoiding eye contact.

"Uh," Leaf stammered, "there's someone who can give your…friends a fair fight. Why not challenge him instead?"

Eloise narrowed her eyes and stomped her foot.

"No!" Eloise screamed at the top of her lungs, "absolutely not! You will accept their challenge or else!"

Leaf winced as the screaming from the rich girl pierced her ears like a knife. She loosened her grip, allowing her Squirtle to land on his feet.

"Squirtle!"

Blake and Omari stared at the Squirtle in disbelief.

"Hey, Ellie!" Omari pointed at Leaf, "it's Leaftard!"

Leaf squeezed her eyes shut as Eloise clenched one fist.

"Why are you out here when you should be at a nursery, you retard?!" Eloise snapped in a loud voice, "you're supposed to be disqualified from ever becoming a trainer!"

Mewtwo took a step forward and stood in front of Leaf.

"Didn't you listen what she said, child?" Mewtwo growled, "she's a capable trainer and you should've known better than to harass her. I'll take the challenge myself."

Leaf and Squirtle took a step back as Eloise gave Mewtwo a piercing glare.

"Don't tell me what to do, you freak!" Eloise protested, "Leaf's only using you to get what she wants! You think she's sweet and innocent?! She's a whiny spoiled brat and she has made my time in school miserable! She's the bully!"

Mewtwo narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists.

"Don't lie to me," he snarled in her mind.

Blake stepped forward with his Rhydon, sending it to walk behind Mewtwo.

"Yeah, you don't want to hang out with her," Blake added, "she's a weak trainer but she's a master at manipulation."

Mewtwo huffed, trying to keep an eye on Leaf.

"You wouldn't know manipulation if it dragged you into a Poké Ball."

Blake glared at the cloaked figure before he snapped his fingers at his Machamp, Muk and Arcanine.

"Come on, punks," Blake commanded, "let's plow through this stubborn bastard!"

Omari sent his Rapidash, Primeape and Graveler at him. Mewtwo flared his fingers as they charged at him, easily holding them back with his Psychic and keeping them running in the air just above the ground. But of course, now his concentration focused on these three and the Rhydon still directly behind him.

Blake seemed confused while Omari took the opportunity to duck out of sight and move towards Leaf. The Squirtle noticed and tried to block his way.

"Squirtle!"

Leaf paused her tracks and snapped her head at Omari.

"Out of the way!" Leaf snapped.

"Oh no, you little crybaby!" Omari smirked as he folded his arms, "you're not getting away so easily!"

Just as Omari finished his sentence, Leaf's eyes widened in horror as Venomoth flew above him.

"Venomoth, Poison Powder!" Omari commanded.

The next thing she knew, the Venomoth flapped its wings rapidly and released poisonous particles into the air. The particles floated down onto Leaf and Squirtle, and when they inhaled it, they felt the burning sensation in their throats. Squirtle managed to get enough air in to blast bubbles at the Venomoth, something to dampen the air at least.

Mewtwo glanced over his shoulder at the sound of coughing and resisted the urge to throw everyone but the affected two against the trees. He threw the Pokémon he had in his grip against each other and to the side, immobilizing them for at least a few moments. He turned around to do the same to the Rhydon, shoving it out of the way.

Mewtwo's eyes widened in horror as he saw Omari's Kingler restraining Leaf's arms with its claws and Venomoth dangling a struggling Squirtle in its mandibles. All the while, Blake's Cacturne and Gyarados and Omari's Exeggutor gathered around them.

"S-Stop," Leaf protested weakly, "this isn't funny!"

Mewtwo tilted his head towards Eloise and glared at them while Rhydon, Rapidash, Muk, Machamp, Primeape, Graveler and Arcanine struggled to stagger back to their feet.

"Don't even think about interfering," Eloise threatened, "it's for your own good!"

"I'm not concerned with 'my own good'. You have one warning," Mewtwo warned, "you saw what I can do, now release Leaf at once, or…"

He tilted his head and looked back towards Pewter City as his eyes glowed.

"I'll show the other humans your monstrous self."

He figured he'd be able to project her displayed attitude into everyone's minds within a three town radius. It would be easy enough to do to use his telepathy to accomplish this.

"What do you value more," Mewtwo added, "how you feel about this girl, or your fame and reputation?"

Eloise kept glaring at Mewtwo as she straightened her spine.

"You have no power over me, you freak!" Eloise insisted, "everybody loves me, so your threat will never work!"

Eloise snapped her fingers, encouraging Blake and Omari to gesture their Pokémon to gang up on Leaf.

"No," Leaf cried, "Ellie, don't do this!"

The next thing she knew, Blake's Arcanine tackled into Leaf, the collision to her belly eliciting a pained cry out of her.

"Squirtle!" Leaf's Squirtle panicked.

Mewtwo stiffened as Omari's Primeape gave Leaf a brutal punch to the face. He shifted his glance between the others' Pokémon as they prepared their own attacks. He had a nagging feeling in the back of his head warning him such powerful moves could kill her. By that point, his tail emerged from underneath his cloak and his makeshift hood fell back and exposed his head. This didn't concern Mewtwo, though. He huffed and sent out the real-time experience of how Eloise was treating this poor girl along with everything she said unprovoked before he returned his focus to the Pokémon.

Using his Psychic, Mewtwo lifted all of Blake and Omari's Pokémon into the air, forcing them to release Leaf and Squirtle as they collapsed to the ground. Having yanked the Pokémon away from her, he tossed them aside into a pile and prepared a Shadow Ball with his hands. Once the Shadow Ball reached its full charge, he flung it at the pile which caused all of them to faint instantly. Mewtwo quickly hovered over to Leaf and crouched down, shielding her with his tail and glaring at the two boys.

"I gave you my warning, and you didn't listen," Mewtwo growled, "now leave!"

Blake, Omari and Eloise stared at Mewtwo and their eyes widened as they froze in fear.

"What the fuck is that thing?!" Omari squeaked.

Blake hastily recalled all of his Pokémon, compelling Omari to reluctantly do the same. Eloise moved only to grab her bag and start running back for Pewter, followed by the boys carrying the rest of their stuff.

"Hurry up, boys!" Eloise screamed.

Once Eloise, Blake and Omari were out of sight, Mewtwo cradled Leaf in his arms, noticing a nasty bruise on her face as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I-I'm sorry," Leaf cried softly.

"You don't need to apologize, child," Mewtwo reassured her, "it's not your fault."

Squirtle staggered to his feet and waddled over to Mewtwo, mumbling apologetically. The Genetic Pokémon slowly rose to his full height, taking caution not to aggravate any of the human's injuries.

"Let's go," Mewtwo told her, "the Pokémon Center shouldn't be far from here."


	9. A Psychic with a Caring Heart

The rest of the journey through Route Three continued quietly until Mewtwo arrived at the Pokémon Center while he carried Leaf in his arms. He concealed his head with the makeshift hood again as he approached the doors and brought her inside, over to the counter where the nurse stood.

"Excuse me?" Mewtwo spoke into the nurse's mind, "we had an incident with some rough trainers outside, and their Pokémon attacked her. Can you help her?"

The Squirtle watched Leaf nervously, whimpering and trying to stay as close to her as he could. The nurse gave the cloaked figure an anxious stare in a moment of silence before she carefully examined Leaf, staring in disbelief as bruises riddled her belly and her face.

"A-All right, sir," the nurse nodded, "we'll see what we can do."

The nurse shifted her attention towards her Chansey. The Chansey waddled from behind the counter and retrieved a stretcher. Mewtwo carefully lay Leaf onto the stretcher before Squirtle climbed onto it, sitting by his trainer's side. The tiny turtle couldn't help but cough as his throat still burned and purple blemishes stained his skin.

"A Venomoth also poisoned them," Mewtwo added, blinking at Nurse Joy, "so they're probably still affected by it."

"I understand," Nurse Joy replied, "we'll see what we can do."

Chansey rolled the stretcher out of the reception hall and through the back door leading to a corridor.

"We'll let you know on her progress," Nurse Joy added.

Mewtwo simply nodded at Nurse Joy and wandered over to the lounge before he settled onto a couch. Still, while he waited, he returned to his thoughts. Within the thirteen years of his life, he dealt with the scientists who created him and the leader of the notorious Team Rocket who saw him as nothing more than either a subject for experiments or a weapon of destruction. Just as he was about to dismiss humanity as dangerous, he didn't expect Leaf to show up in his life. Still, he recalled the memories she had and felt bad for her. Was this a frequent occurrence for Leaf during her childhood? Has anyone reached out to help her during those painful moments?

He curled the tail under his cloak as he silently watched through her memories. Of course it had been a frequent occurrence and of course, no one outside of her family helped her. Of course they treated her like the outcast, the burden, and wondered why she couldn't be molded into what they wanted her to be. He doubted she was the only one with these sets of problems, but now he found her and wanted to help her heal from it. He already made up his mind that he was going to stay with and protect her. She might not know it yet, but she had given him something of a purpose. She deserved the continued victory she started racking up for herself.

Mewtwo snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the doors slide open. He glanced over his shoulder and watched a trainer frantically scramble into the center carrying something in her arms. When he examined carefully, he noticed bruises on the tiny Pokémon as it cried its eyes out.

A Magnemite floated in behind her, going to check behind the desk since there was no Nurse Joy or Chansey. It buzzed worriedly and glanced over at Mewtwo, obviously sensing he was a fellow Pokémon. He made eye contact briefly but it was enough for the Magnemite to nudge the girl and motion towards him.

"Magne-Magnemite!"

The girl blinked twice and glanced over her shoulder, locking eyes onto the cloaked figure.

"Hey," she called over, "where did Nurse Joy go?"

He motioned to the doors leading to the treatment areas while looking around for any way to call for a nurse. The trainer nodded before she sauntered her way to the doors. The Magnemite followed her, glancing back to Mewtwo on the way. He watched them and hoped the little one would be all right.

What could have possibly happened on Mount Moon?

* * *

Once early evening rolled in, Nurse Joy returned to the lobby. He opened his eyes and looked up, having been in a half doze and recuperating from the drama. He stood to his full height and let her spot him.

"Sir?" Nurse Joy called over, "we've done what we could for her. She's resting in a recovery room right now. Would you like to see her?"

"Are her Pokémon healed as well?"

Not wanting to scare the nurse, Mewtwo simply walked over to her. Part of him wished he could have his own private room to rest in. He also reminded himself maybe he should get some food while he's at it as he made a brief glance at the door leading to the cafeteria.

"If it's not too much to ask," Mewtwo requested, "do you deliver food to patients?"

Nurse Joy nodded.

"I could send you a menu from the cafeteria," she offered, "right this way."

Nurse Joy led Mewtwo through the door and meandered down the hallway. He relaxed his tense muscles in relief as he glanced at the other doors.

"Thank you," Mewtwo smiled, "I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

As they continued their stroll, a recurring thought lingered in his head.

"By the way," Mewtwo added, "did you happen to come across some dark-haired trainer with a young Pokémon? I've been a little concerned since I saw them."

Nurse Joy made a brief glance at Mewtwo.

"Yes," she nodded, "we gave the Cleffa she brought in the treatment it needed."

"Good. I wasn't sure if I saw her leave," he nodded and kept from looking in her direction, still glancing into the various windows.

How deep did this center go?

It wasn't long before Nurse Joy stopped at a door leading to a recovery room. She pushed the door open and focused her eyes on Mewtwo. Mewtwo still didn't look at her as he slowly walked in and examined the room for Leaf and Squirtle, relaxing when he saw them and moving to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Thank you, ma'am."

Nurse Joy nodded with a smile before she stepped out of the room.

"I'll be back with the menu," she told him.

Once Nurse Joy closed the door behind her, Mewtwo shifted his gaze towards Leaf. She was currently asleep with an IV attached to her arm. Squirtle curled up on top of Leaf's belly and peacefully dozed away. He smiled and let his tail droop to the floor. This sensation was familiar but he couldn't put a finger on it. He shook his head and cast his mind back to the other Center they'd eaten in after their first meeting, trying to remember what she had to eat. Something with soup? Perhaps the soup would be easiest on her throat. He wouldn't fuss over what he'd have to eat but he was hoping for more potatoes.

While he waited, Mewtwo noticed as the door creaked open. Instead of Nurse Joy, he recognized the trainer from before as her Magnemite followed her close behind. He withdrew his tail into the cloak quickly and watched her.

"I'll just leave this here," the trainer placed the menu onto Mewtwo's lap before she approached a nearby incubator, where the Cleffa rested.

He nodded and gazed through it, still surprised he could understand the words. Perhaps it was his sentience that allowed him to understand such actions. Still, Mewtwo browsed the menu and examined the list of possible dishes he could order for himself and Leaf while the trainer stroked her Magnemite's screw head with her hand.

"Do me a favor and watch over Cleffa for me," she requested, "I'll be back by morning."

The trainer set down Magnemite's Poké Ball on an end table next to the incubator. He glanced over and nodded, moving to where he could watch the both of his wards. He may not care for the trainer but there was no need for him to be cruel about the wellbeing of a baby. The trainer paused for a moment and locked her green eyes onto Mewtwo.

"Is something the matter?" she asked him.

Mewtwo paused for a moment.

"Are you going somewhere?" Mewtwo asked.

The trainer nodded as she took a step away from the incubator, taking a moment to readjust her short-sleeved hoodie.

"I can't just stand by and do nothing while the Cleffa's loved ones suffer," she explained.

"Take your Magnemite," Mewtwo advised, "it would be best not to be alone if something is going on in there. What's happening in there?"

The trainer scratched her head and tilted it sideways.

"Among the many Pokémon some scumbags think are highly profitable," she clarified, "they consider Clefairys and Clefables as such. I barely managed to rescue this Cleffa before Team Rocket could get their hands on her."

Mewtwo's eyes widened in an instant. He glanced at Leaf, wanting to go and deal with them, though the promise he made to himself about this girl kept him where he was. This stranger couldn't take them all on alone. Damn those Rockets.

"Are you aware of how dangerous they are?" Mewtwo objected.

"I do," the trainer reassured Mewtwo, "that's why I have a few more Pokémon with me to help me out."

He looked back to the incubator and nodded hesitantly.

"Be careful," Mewtwo warned, "they'll be ruthless."

He put the menu aside and waited for perhaps Joy to come back and ask him their choices. The Magnemite carefully wandered around the room, staying away from anything that would affect with its magnetic impulses and keeping its eye on the Cleffa. The trainer gave Mewtwo a smile, her short black hair swaying as she spun on her feet and bolted for the door.

"I know how bad Team Rocket is and the horrible things they've done," she added, "that's why someone needs to stop them. If I don't, who will?"

He nodded and glanced at Leaf. Perhaps she and the boys could help when she was feeling up to it, and the boys caught up. They seemed to be behind, and he was surprised they hadn't caught up already. The trainer didn't say anything further as she stepped out of the recovery room. Several minutes later, Nurse Joy stepped back inside and smiled at Mewtwo. He looked up, handing her back the menu.

"May I have a couple of jacket potatoes and may I request grilled cheese sandwiches with soup for this trainer?" Mewtwo requested, "and food for her Pokémon, please."

Nurse Joy nodded.

"Of course," she replied, "we'll deliver your food shortly."

Once Nurse Joy stepped out of the room, Mewtwo shifted his gaze towards Leaf's messenger bag. Psychic particles danced in his fingertips as he used his telekinesis to retrieve the Poké Balls before he sent out Pidgey, Bellsprout, Jigglypuff and Nidoran. Just then, he heard soft moaning as Leaf stirred from her sleep.

Mewtwo perked up slightly and let the hood fall off his head, placing a hand near her arm.

"How are you feeling? I just ordered food for us."

The Squirtle blinked awake and lifted his head, mumbling sleepily.

"I-I guess it doesn't hurt much now," Leaf stammered.

Leaf slowly sat upright, brushing some stray hairs out of her eyes. Mewtwo hovered closer to her and placed his hand on top of her head.

"Deep breaths," he focused some healing energy for her, enough for her to sleep and recover the rest which she needed in a minute of silence, "how is that?"

"Better," Leaf nodded.

Mewtwo smiled as he sat down next to her, making a brief glance at the incubator. Leaf watched as Jigglypuff, Bellsprout, Nidoran and Pidgey climbed onto her bed and joined Squirtle as they gathered around her.

"Oh!" Leaf blurted, "hey, guys."

Leaf pulled her Squirtle into a warm embrace, gently rocking back and forth for a brief moment. When Mewtwo placed his arm over her shoulder, she leaned closer to him.

"Is this all right for you?"

"Mm-hmm," Leaf nodded.

Satisfied with her answer, Mewtwo started purring. Squirtle glanced up at him and smirked slightly, amused by the apparent Legendary's sign of affection. The door slid open minutes later, so Mewtwo quickly placed the hood over his head. An attendant stepped inside with a tray of food.

"Should I leave this at the end table?" the attendant asked.

Mewtwo nodded. Squirtle perked up and moved to stare at his bowl of food. Once the attendant set down the tray, he distributed the dishes before he turned for the door. Pidgey happily pecked at her birdseed while Squirtle, Nidoran, Bellsprout and Jigglypuff munched some berries. Mewtwo hid a smile and moved the table up to Leaf, nodding gratefully to the attendant and glancing at the incubator. While she savored her soup and sandwiches, the Genetic Pokémon munched on the potatoes. Magnemite continued to patrol the incubator and made a brief glance at the sleeping Cleffa once in a while.

"What do you suppose a Pokémon like that one digests?" Mewtwo gestured to the Magnemite, "electricity?"

Leaf gave Mewtwo a confused stare before she focused her eyes onto the Magnemite.

"You mean that Magnemite?" Leaf clarified, "I think I remember they can be found wherever there's a powerful magnetic field like the power plant east of Cerulean City."

Mewtwo nodded in agreement and continued eating his potato. Shortly after they finished their dinner, Leaf scanned her surroundings in search of another bed, hoping Mewtwo would at least have a place to sleep. After she returned her empty dishes to the tray, she shifted her gaze towards the Legendary. He returned his gaze and got off the bed to put the rest of the empty bowls on the tray.

"I'll be fine sitting on the floor if you'd like me to stay."

Leaf gave Mewtwo a blank stare.

"Are you really sure you don't want a bed?" Leaf insisted, "I can try making room in mine."

Mewtwo returned his blank stare.

"Well," Leaf added, "I could use some company."

Squirtle, Pidgey, Bellsprout, Jigglypuff and Nidoran also stared at Mewtwo while they waited for his answer. He glanced over the bed and nodded after a moment.

"Alright. If you're sure your Pokémon aren't company enough."

He moved to sit on the bed and waited for everyone to adjust themselves. Mewtwo shifted to lay on Leaf's left while she still rested on her back. Squirtle waddled up to nestle in her arms while the Legendary used his telekinesis to pull the blanket over himself and the novice trainer. He lay on his side and gave Leaf a gentle embrace while Pidgey, Bellsprout, Nidoran and Jigglypuff searched for a good spot for each of them on the bed.

Leaf rested her head on the pillow and ran her hand along her Squirtle's shell. She felt Mewtwo nuzzling her face as he purred.

"Thanks, Mewtwo," Leaf smiled at him, "you're a good friend."

Mewtwo smiled at that moment.

"Friend?" he agreed, "I like that."

He smiled to himself and looked to the window at the end of the room. Sleep clouded her eyes as Leaf leaned her head closer to Mewtwo. He rested his chin on her hair gently, assuming that would keep her calm, listening as the Pokémon groomed themselves and settled down to sleep. While he waited for sleep to cloud his eyes, he found himself glad he met this young trainer.


	10. A Sudden Horror in Mount Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone was wondering whether Ash Ketchum will show up, I have something interesting for you guys. Red aka Satoshi Akai is a mashup of Red from the games and Ash Ketchum from the anime. I hope that satisfies your curiosity.

The following morning, Nurse Joy and her Chancey gave Leaf a brief exam before she was considered fully recovered and ready to be discharged. Mewtwo sorted out his cloak and went back to his disguise, allowing Leaf to eat her breakfast peacefully alongside her Pokémon. While he took a bite of toast, the Genetic Pokémon observed the Magnemite as it hovered slightly above the ground to reserve its energy. Inside the incubator, the fully recovered Cleffa scanned her surroundings, overwhelmed by the strange alien environment.

Shortly after breakfast, Mewtwo moved closer to the incubator and kept his eyes focused on the Cleffa while Leaf changed out of her hospital gown. He was tempted to slide his hand inside the incubator, but quickly brushed it off.

"We'll get you home safely soon, alright? For now, you're safe here."

Cleffa stared into Mewtwo's eyes for a brief moment before she lowered her head and shook her head.

"C-Cleffa," the Cleffa whimpered softly.

Mewtwo frowned and reached his hand in gently.

"I apologize," Mewtwo sighed, "do you have any others you can go with or should I alert the trainer, if you wish to go with them?"

The Cleffa didn't say anything, but she walked over to Mewtwo's hand. While the Legendary Pokémon proceeded to knead her head, he took a glimpse into her memories. He closed his eyes to focus, gently massaging her fur. He really shouldn't be surprised when he found out her parents fell victim to Team Rocket's latest scheme. Could that be the reason why that strange trainer brought her here to the Center? Cleffa must've been lucky the grunts didn't break in last night.

Mewtwo remembered he should expect that trainer to return this morning, but it seemed she hasn't shown up yet. He glanced at the Magnemite then turned his eyes back to the tank. By then, Leaf finished changing into her clothes while sliding her feet into her shoes.

"Ok, Mewtwo!" Leaf called over, "you can turn around, now!"

He relaxed and carefully removed his hand before he turned to face Leaf.

"We need to find this Magnemite's trainer, she may well be in the caves nearby," Mewtwo told her, "she said she'd be back by morning."

Leaf blinked twice as she made a brief glance at the Magnemite.

"Really?" she blurted, "why'd she leave it here?"

Leaf lifted her messenger bag and placed the strap over her shoulder before she approached the incubator. When she saw the Cleffa inside, her face lit up and stared in awe.

"Oh?" Leaf warbled, "what happened to this Cleffa over here?"

"She was orphaned by Team Rocket. They're in the caves right now," Mewtwo clenched his fist, "honestly, I'd like to help drive them out, but I'm not leaving your side."

The instant she heard that name, Leaf stiffened.

"Team Rocket…did this?!" Leaf exclaimed, "that's horrible!"

Mewtwo nodded silently as the Magnemite slowly rose above the floor.

"Mag?"

Mewtwo glanced over his shoulder as the door slid open and Nurse Joy walked in. He and Leaf stepped aside, allowing the nurse to approach the incubator. She examined the Cleffa while Leaf swayed her torso side to side. After a moment of silence, Nurse Joy tilted her head towards the young trainer.

"Ma'am," Leaf asked as she avoided the nurse's eyes, "has the Magnemite's trainer…returned yet?"

Nurse Joy sighed and shook her head.

"I'd like to look for the trainer, if that's all right with you," Mewtwo explained, "we were going that way regardless."

Mewtwo carefully started moving towards the door. Nurse Joy smiled and released the hatch which opened the incubator.

"Thank you, sir," Nurse Joy told Mewtwo, "I'm sure she'll appreciate you returning her Pokémon."

Leaf picked up Magnemite's Poké Ball while Nurse Joy handed the Cleffa to Mewtwo. The young trainer followed the Genetic Pokémon out of the recovery room, meandering through the hallway until they reached the lobby. They spotted Red and Gary waiting at the counter. Mewtwo stiffened for a moment before he recognized them and relaxed his muscles. Leaf stepped over to the counter, catching Red's attention.

"Leaf?" Red paused, "have you been waiting long?"

Leaf smiled as she tilted her head sideways and clasped her arms behind her back.

"I spent the night here," she clarified, "maybe we could go check out Mount Moon once you're done healing up your Pokémon?"

Red elbowed Gary in the side, eliciting a startled yelp out of him.

"Seriously?!" Gary grumbled.

Any thoughts of protest dissipated when Gary laid his eyes on Leaf and the cloaked figure standing close behind.

"Yeah, that sounds cool," Red nodded, "have you added to your team?"

Red's eyes wandered to the Magnemite which started scanning the lounge and cafeteria for its trainer. To its disappointment, it had no luck.

"I…got a female Nidoran and a Jigglypuff," Leaf admitted, "I'm just hoping to find this Magnemite's trainer soon."

Gary stared in awe as he saw a Cleffa pop out of Mewtwo's makeshift cloak. The tiny fairy Pokémon started scanning her surroundings. Mewtwo noticed the movement and tilted his head down.

"Hello," Mewtwo spoke.

"Cleffa!" Cleffa chirped happily.

It wasn't long before Nurse Joy retrieved two trays from the healing station and handed them to Red and Gary, allowing them to withdraw their Poké Balls.

"Thank you for waiting," Nurse Joy smiled and bowed her head, "we restored your Pokémon to full health. We hope to see you again."

"Thanks. So, plan? Are we all going straight on to Mount Moon?" Red asked as he clipped his Poké Balls to his belt and let his Pikachu back out.

"Yeah," Leaf nodded as she stretched her arms behind her back, "I'm looking forward to meeting Magnemite's trainer there."

Gary grinned as he adjusted the strap of his backpack.

"Then lead the way, ma'am," Gary gestured to the door.

Leaf and Mewtwo led Red and Gary out of the Pokémon Center before they headed east to the entrance leading to the cave in Mount Moon. Out of the corner of his eye, Mewtwo spotted a Meowth taking a nap on top of the stony entrance. He narrowed his eyes at the Meowth and listened to the inside of the cave, hating the silence that obviously came as the aftermath of fear and chaos.

"Pika?" Pikachu called out to Mewtwo.

Mewtwo snapped out of his thoughts and tilted his head towards Red's Pikachu. Red glanced down at Pikachu as well.

"Yeah, buddy?" Red said.

Mewtwo blinked and moved first into the cave, wanting to scare off any Grunts that may have been waiting to ambush the group of trainers now they'd likely made themselves known. Leaf stepped inside next followed by Red and Gary. The surroundings sounded quiet even with Zubats hugging the ceiling of the cave, yet Leaf spotted a Geodude out of the corner of her eye. She took out her Pokédex and held it above the rocky Pokémon.

_{Geodude, the Rock Pokémon. They're commonly found in mountains and caves. They tend to sleep by burying themselves halfway into the ground, making them indistinguishable to other boulders. People have frequently reported tripping over them.}_

Leaf kept her eyes locked onto the sleeping Geodude as she tucked away her Pokédex.

"Ok," Leaf chirped, "have a nice nap, buddy!"

Continuing her stroll in the cave, Leaf slipped past the Geodude without disturbing it. Mewtwo noticed Leaf's behavior and was careful not to disturb any of the Zubats with his height. Red smiled at her comment and shook his head slightly. He also slipped past without disturbing it. The last thing they needed was a cave-in caused by a grumpy rock Pokémon.

As they meandered through the cave, they kept an eye out for any Clefairys and Clefables that might still be on the loose. To their dismay, they didn't have such luck. Leaf, Red and Gary would pass by an occasional ladder. The female trainer often climbed down such ladders only to return with items she found in the chambers.

"I swear," Gary commented as Leaf handed him a Paralyz Heal she found, "these travelers can be negligent with their stuff sometimes!"

Leaf didn't reply as she handed Red another Potion.

"Did you find anything besides these?" Red asked her.

Leaf sighed as she lowered her head.

"You mean Magnemite's trainer?" she shook her head, "nope."

Magnemite slumped its magnet limbs as if it was sighing. Mewtwo occasionally glanced down to the Cleffa, letting her stay in the bend of his tail against his back, and now to the Magnemite.

"We'll find her," Mewtwo reassured the Magnemite.

Red counted the Potions before handing back one to Leaf.

"Actually I think you should take this one," Red insisted, "I have a good amount now."

"Your loss," Leaf remarked as she stashed the Potion into her messenger bag.

As they continued their journey, Red managed to catch a Paras he stumbled upon. While he had a trainer battle with a bug catcher, Leaf faced a trainer battle with a lass and her Bellsprout. Gary and Mewtwo kept a vigilant eye for any Team Rocket Grunts that might be wandering in the cave. While Leaf took the time to administer a Potion to her Pidgey after her battle, the professor's grandson stood next to the cloaked figure.

"Say," Gary asked, "how did Leaf meet you, anyway?"

He glanced down at Gary and wondered whether he might recognize him from any stories his grandfather might have told him, given Oak's participation in his creation. He sent a telepathic message once he was back to scanning around vigilantly.

"She got lost in Viridian Forest," Mewtwo answered.

Gary blinked twice and gave Mewtwo a blank stare.

"Really?" Gary blurted.

"Her Pokémon were injured by a Pikachu," Mewtwo explained, "Red's I suspect, and I decided to help them."

Gary chuckled and scratched his head.

"That must've been one picky Pikachu," Gary mused.

Leaf closed her messenger bag and recalled her Pidgey before she sent out her Squirtle.

"Ok, Squirtle," Leaf chirped, "you up for a walk?"

"Squirtle! Squirtle!" Squirtle chirped and jumped up happily.

Squirtle and Pikachu darted for the next ladder and sniffed at the hole in the ground. They jumped back after picking up the smell of blood.

"Pika…" Pikachu bleated nervously.

Red heard his Pikachu's cry before he scrambled over to the electric mouse's side.

"What is it, Pikachu?" Red asked frantically.

Mewtwo perked up and hovered over to the ladder, sniffing and scrunching up his face before moving to jump down. He lit up his eyes to see in the dim light and examined his surroundings. He didn't find any bodies yet, but he detected a trail of blood leading to another ladder to a lower chamber. It didn't take long before Leaf, Red and Gary climbed down the ladder one by one with Squirtle, Pikachu and Magemite following them close behind.

"Did you find anything?" Leaf called over.

Mewtwo glanced over his shoulder, locking eyes onto the three trainers before he pointed to the next ladder.

"Whatever we find in the next chamber," Mewtwo warned, "it might be a shock to you."

Leaf groaned softly as she clasped her hands together and lowered her head. Squirtle gave Leaf a worried expression and touched her leg with his front paw in an attempt to soothe her. Magnemite wasted no time as it flew down the hole.

"Yeah," Gary drawled, "thanks for the heads up."

Leaf slowly approached the ladder. Squirtle climbed up her back and held on as she started climbing down. Once she reached the bottom of the ladder, she waited for Mewtwo, Red and Gary to catch up while her eyes wandered in search of the Magnemite. Mewtwo dropped down and moved to stand in front of her, mostly to shield her from whatever the darkness would shift to reveal. He watched as the Magnemite circled around an area, shocking something and started to approach it, careful not to step in any of the blood. The sickly sweet smell of decay was just starting to hit him and he tensed. He let Leaf come past him and see the young trainer who brought in the Cleffa. Her bag and Poké Balls were missing, and most of the blood on her face and hair stemmed from a bullet wound in the unfortunate trainer's forehead.

Leaf's eyes widened as she froze in horror. She clamped her hands over her mouth to muffle her panicked scream. Moments later, Red and Gary reached the bottom of the ladder and stepped over to Leaf and Mewtwo.

"Did you find anything?" Red clamored.

Pikachu stood in front of Red and spotted the corpse. Mewtwo guided her back to the ladder and let the boys get a glimpse of the corpse with the light from the shocks the Magnemite was giving, clearly thinking it would revive its trainer. With Red and Gary's eyes widened in horror, Pikachu carefully moved over and tried to converse with the Pokémon, the two of them soon having an exchange of electric shocks to communicate.

"N-No way!" Gary exclaimed, "this can't be really happening, right?!"

Red panted heavily as a sweat bead trailed down his forehead.

"It's not," Mewtwo looked over, "that's the reality of what Team Rocket can do to you. Someone will need to be alerted."

"B-Beth," Leaf whispered.

Mewtwo noticed as tears welled up in Leaf's eyes. Sighing, he allowed her to embrace herself to him.

"I'm sorry," Mewtwo apologized, "shall we all go back to the Center?"

Leaf shook her head.

"No," Leaf objected, "I-I should be scared, but this…this is unforgivable!"

Leaf stared into Mewtwo's eyes.

"Did she say anything before she left?" Leaf asked.

Mewtwo didn't respond, yet he closed his eyes and thought over the evening when he met the trainer. He found himself regretting the four years he served his sworn enemy in doing some of the dirty work which caused plenty of Pokémon to suffer. In the midst of those thoughts, he recalled the trainer's last words spoken to him.

_I know how bad Team Rocket is and the horrible things they've done, that's why someone needs to stop them. If I don't, who will?_

As that voice echoed in her head, Mewtwo slowly opened his eyes. Maybe that trainer had a point. Now, he's had enough. The Clefairys, Clefables and Cleffas in Mount Moon needed someone to save them.

"She was brave to the end," he mumbled and glanced around for any sign of the Rockets' location, "and I'm going to ensure I put an end to Team Rocket, even if I end up at the gates to the Hall of Origin."

Red focused his eyes on Mewtwo while brushing his hand along Pikachu's head.

"You sure the police can't drive them out of the cave?" Red pointed out.

Mewtwo returned his gaze to Red before shifting his eyes onto Gary and then Leaf.

"When we do find Team Rocket," Mewtwo told them, "I'll fight alongside the three of you. The trainer's death will not be in vain."

The Pikachu nuzzled into Red's hand, still talking to the Magnemite who wouldn't leave the body. The Squirtle nodded and looked up to Mewtwo with determination and anger brimming in its eyes. Leaf slowly calmed herself and wiped the tears from her eyes, nodding at the psychic Legendary in agreement. There was no better time to tell Team Rocket they can't keep getting away with their nefarious crimes forever.


	11. A Clefairy Rescue Mission

Now that they had a new objective in mind, Leaf, Gary and Red followed Mewtwo as they ventured deeper into the caves of Mount Moon. Mewtwo took extra caution, taking the lead and listening ahead. He would perk up every time he heard voices, especially human ones, but they always seemed several steps ahead. Red's Pikachu seemed to have the same idea as Mewtwo and took up the rear to make sure no one unsavory followed them.

They were grateful when another trainer volunteered to bring the corpse out of the cave and report the murder to the police. Magnemite hovered around Leaf, determined to avenge its trainer.

"Looks like you have a new member to your team, huh?" Red commented, "what about the Cleffa?"

Leaf made a brief glance at Cleffa as she snuggled in Mewtwo's cloak.

"I think I'll let her decide what she wants to do," Leaf answered.

Red nodded and looked around for any Pokémon.

"Thinking about getting a Zubat."

Mewtwo looked down at the Cleffa and offered his hand.

"What would you like to do?" Mewtwo spoke into Cleffa's head.

Cleffa blinked twice before she shifted her gaze towards Leaf.

"Clef?" Cleffa chirped eagerly.

"I believe she would like to join you," Mewtwo told Leaf, "who would you want to transfer her with?"

Leaf paused in her tracks and checked her other Poké Balls. Since she took in Magnemite, she figured it could help out in the challenge at Cerulean Gym. She didn't have much planned for her Nidoran or Jigglypuff, so she reached in and pulled out a PokéBox which she got from Pewter City.

"Let's see if I send Jigglypuff and Nidoran to my parents first," Leaf suggested.

Leaf pulled out her Pokégear and typed a text message for her mom:

_{I'll be sending my Nidoran and Jigglypuff soon. Just let me give you a heads up in advance. If Jigglypuff sings and anyone within an earshot falls asleep, there's a chance she'll draw on their face, so keep an eye out on her. Ok?}_

Once she sent the text message, Leaf pulled out the Poké Balls holding Nidoran and Jigglypuff and inserted each one into the slot of the PokéBox. She tapped on the trigger and the PokéBox teleported the Poké Ball holding Jigglypuff. Once she did the same for Nidoran, she stepped over to Mewtwo and smiled at the Cleffa.

"Hi, buddy," Leaf chirped, "how are you doing?"

Mewtwo lifted the cloak and allowed Cleffa to face Leaf while looking around at the environment as they took a break. Red was taking a water beak, making sure his Pokémon got some to quench their thirst. Gary also poured some water into a bowl so his Bulbasaur, Ratatta and Beedrill could drink. Leaf sat down next to Mewtwo while she prepared a bowl of water for her Squirtle, Bellsprout and Pidgey. She even invited the Cleffa to join in.

Out of the corner of his eye, Mewtwo spotted a woman with long red hair and a man with short light purple hair as they dug into the terrain in search for…something. He narrowed his eyes when he recognized their Team Rocket uniforms, but they're colored white instead of the usual black. A Meowth sat down behind them and sorted through a pile of rocks, tossing them aside one by one. He was surprised they hadn't noticed them. Red followed Mewtwo's gaze and rose to his feet before he stepped over to the trio. Pikachu followed close behind and shifted into a battle stance, narrowing his eyes at Meowth.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu barked.

Meowth snapped out of his thoughts and glared at Pikachu.

"Go away!" Meowth snapped, "I'm busy here!"

Red and Pikachu shuddered when they heard the Meowth talk. Strange how that catlike Pokémon didn't use telepathy at all.

"Where are the Clefairys?" Red demanded.

That was when the Team Rocket duo froze in their tracks and glanced over their shoulders.

"Don't have anything better to do than interrupt people like that, you twerp?!" the purple-haired man snapped.

"Go and play somewhere else, kids!" the redhead chided, glancing them over and staring at Mewtwo for a moment.

Pikachu's cheeks sparked.

"Pika Pika Pika!" Pikachu pestered.

Just then, Gary and Leaf recalled their Pokémon before they followed Mewtwo, approaching Red from close behind. Leaf kept her breathing steady and fluttered her hand to ease her tension while she glared at the duo, not bothering to look into their eyes.

"We know you guys are rounding up Clefairys and Clefables here," Gary demanded, "so where are they?!"

The redhead gritted her teeth before she and her partner rose to her feet.

"Oh, so that's how you're going to play?" she growled.

The duo turned on their feet and stared down the three trainers.

"Prepare for trouble!" the redhead started.

"And make it double!" the purple-haired man added.

"To protect the world from devastation," the redhead continued.

"To unite all peoples within our nation!" the purple-haired man raised his fist in front of him.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love," the redhead emphasized.

"To extend our reach to the stars above!" the purple-haired man added.

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blasting off at the speed of light!" Jessie announced.

"Surrender now," James warned, "or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth," the Meowth chirped, "that's right!"

Gary and Red shifted their bodies into a battle position while Mewtwo clenched his fists.

"Whatever, just tell us about the Clefairys!" Red raised an eyebrow.

Mewtwo resisted the urge to pin them against the wall and narrowed his eyes, trying to see what they knew just by making eye contact with them. James folded his arms.

"For your information, twerp," James answered, "we're not involved in that operation!"

"Yeah!" Meowth added, "the boss assigned us to just find rare fossils for him!"

"Fossils? Here?" Mewtwo nodded slightly, "they're telling the truth. How strange. Why have underlings here in such a hostile environment? Distraction?"

Jessie, James and Meowth shuddered upon hearing the eerie telepathic voice and scanned their surroundings. Mewtwo blinked and stared them down.

"Leave before you become the next victim," Mewtwo threatened.

Jessie glanced towards the group.

"Who's doing that?!" Jessie insisted.

Leaf made a brief glance at Mewtwo while she held her Squirtle close to her chest. Jessie followed Leaf's gaze and stared at Mewtwo who made his eyes glow at her, sending Meowth's pile of rocks shattering against the wall. Meowth screamed and clambered up James' leg.

"What is that thing?!" James exclaimed, eyes widening in shock.

"Who cares?!" Meowth cried, "let's blast on outta here!"

Jessie grabbed her partner's arm and darted around the group with them. Mewtwo huffed and looked to the rest of the rocks.

"Can we move on through here?" Red insisted.

Leaf nodded as Red and Gary sighed in relief.

"Yeah," Gary answered, "that was a close one."

From there, Mewtwo led Leaf, Red and Gary farther into the cave and descended another ladder leading to a lower floor. After Gary faced a hiker in a trainer battle, he was kind enough to offer directions to where Clefairys would most likely gather. With that advice, they were able to find a ladder leading to another lower floor. Shortly after Gary reached the bottom of the ladder, Pikachu scampered ahead and scanned his surroundings. It wasn't long before his ears twitched.

"Pika!" Pikachu called over.

Red sprinted over to his Pikachu and knelt to his eye level.

"Pikachu," Red asked, "did you find anything?"

"Chu!" Pikachu pointed ahead.

Squirtle jumped out of Leaf's arms and glanced around, seeming entranced. Mewtwo scanned ahead as he started to calm down.

"They most likely have them cornered down there," Mewtwo commented.

Mewtwo carefully moved ahead of them. Soon enough, once they turned a corner, they all stared in disbelief when they saw large sturdy cages holding Cleffas, Clefairys and Clefables. Team Rocket grunts patrolled the cages while the leader of their operation with turquoise hair oversaw the entirety of the chamber. Mewtwo observed his surroundings, wondering if he misunderstood the Cleffa's details about her parents and if they were here somewhere. He didn't recognize this leader, but he was still willing to throw him against the wall, still unfazed by his surprisingly violent thoughts.

"So, what's the plan?" Red whispered, "he's probably got powerful Pokémon."

Gary examined the cages for a brief moment and shifted his gaze towards Mewtwo.

"Let's wait until our cloaked buddy comes up with something," Gary suggested.

Leaf brought out her Cleffa, letting her huddle next to her Squirtle. Cleffa glanced at the cages and shivered nervously.

"Shall I confront and distract them or just…knock them all out?" Red continued, his eyes locked onto Gary, "it'll be simple for me to do. They won't know what hit them."

Red started silently counting everyone and trying to figure out how much energy that would take. Squirtle wrapped an arm around the Cleffa as best he could. After rocking back and forth in a moment of silence, Leaf took a couple steps forward.

"Why don't we take them on," Leaf offered, "together."

Mewtwo nodded and picked up some empty cages, throwing them into some of the grunts to immobilize them. He glanced at Archer, ready to toss aside any Pokémon he had. Red stared and glanced to Gary before moving to get the closest cage open. Slipping on her noise-canceling headphones, Leaf scrambled to another cage before she brought out her Pidgey and Bellsprout.

"Ok guys," Leaf said, "you think you can get this cage open?"

"Squirtle!" Squirtle gave Leaf a salute.

Squirtle kept the Cleffa close by and started undoing a cage. Mewtwo approached Archer, making sure the humans were distracted. Archer stiffened when he spotted the cloaked figure.

"Great," Archer grumbled, "first that pesky trainer from last night and now you?!"

Mewtwo glared at the executive, resisting the urge to levitate.

"You killed that trainer?!"

Archer gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.

"She should've known better than to interfere with our affairs!" Archer snarled, "it's her fault!"

Archer reached into his pocket and sent out a Golbat. Mewtwo didn't hesitate as he used Psychic to restrain the Golbat. When he drained some energy from the bat he threw it aside neatly against the wall and tilted his head at Archer.

"Next?"

Archer stared in disbelief. Snarling, he sent out a Weezing. In the meantime, Red, Gary and Leaf broke open some cages when they were spotted by a few grunts. Leaf faced one grunt with a Zubat while Gary challenged another with a Drowzee. Red sent his Pikachu to confront another grunt who sent out his Ratatta. Mewtwo used a Shadow Ball to knock back the Weezing. Leaf's new Magnemite unleashed a Thundershock on the Zubat while Red ordered his Pikachu to use Quick Attack and Iron Tail on Ratatta. Gary's Beedrill dodged the Drowzee's Confusion attack.

"Come on, Beedrill," Gary ordered, "get him with a Twineedle!"

Magnemite tackled and shocked the Zubat before it faced the grunt again. The Beedrill darted in close before stabbing at the Drowzee, making sure to stay behind it to avoid getting hypnotized. Luckily, Leaf and Gary's Pokémon fainted their opponents. The Beedrill moved back to Gary's side, buzzing triumphantly. Mewtwo started levitating as he continued to approach Weezing and Archer. The Rocket executive froze as the Genetic Pokémon prepared a Psycho Cut. He snarled and raised his arm, powering up the attack. Red glanced over his shoulder and frowned at Mewtwo.

"Uh, Leaf?" Red stammered, "wanna talk to your friend?"

Leaf made a brief glance at Mewtwo before returning her gaze to another cage.

"I think he'll be fine," Leaf reassured him.

And with that, Leaf sprinted over to another cage, where her Squirtle, Pidgey, Bellsprout and Magnemite got to work breaking the lock. Magnemite worked on trying to keep electricity to a certain area to heat it up and had Squirtle quickly cool it down, alternating carefully. Mewtwo slashed the attack across the Weezing and threw the man back against the wall with a Psychic. Archer groaned as he sat upright, glaring at the cloaked figure.

"The sooner you leave," Mewtwo insisted, "the more likely you'll be spared."

Gary glanced around for anyone else trying to cause trouble. Leaf's Pokémon managed to open the cage before she scrambled over to the boys. More grunts started to close in on the three trainers without warning. Mewtwo glanced at the preteens and leapt over to them. He unleashed a Barrier over the young trainers and their Pokémon, including the caged ones. He didn't care that his cloak unfurled, revealing his head and tail.

"You won't get away with this," Mewtwo thundered.

At that point, Archer's eyes widened in shock.

"Mewtwo!" he exclaimed.

Red and Gary froze as they shifted their gaze towards the Legendary.

"I said leave," Mewtwo repeated, "it would be better for you to heed that advice!"

Archer growled as he lowly stood to his full height. Without saying anything, he gestured to the other grunts. Mewtwo glared at the grunts as they backed away.

"You win this round, Mewtwo," Archer glowered, "but mark my words, our leader will put you back in your place!"

Archer abruptly turned on his feet. Mewtwo waited for the grunts to leave before he cautiously dissipated the barrier.

"Is everyone alright?" Mewtwo asked.

"Mm-hmm," Leaf nodded.

Red and Gary sighed in relief.

"I didn't think you were actually a Pokémon," Gary grinned and gave Mewtwo a thumbs up, "but hey, you were awesome!"

Leaf recalled her Magnemite, Bellsprout and Pidgey before she knelt down in front of Squirtle and Cleffa. Pikachu leapt up into Red's arms and nuzzled his cheek.

"Pika!" Pikachu chirped happily.

"Yeah," Red agreed, "we really beat Team Rocket, Pikachu!"

In the aftermath of the onslaught, Leaf, Mewtwo, Red and Gary opened all of the other cages, freeing the remainder of the Cleffas, Clefairys and Clefables. He kept watch around the cavern until they were done and turned back to the group.

"Does anyone recognize the Cleffa with us?" Mewtwo asked, gesturing to the Cleffa huddling closer to Squirtle, "I'm aware the trainer last night tried to help you all."

Gary recalled his Beedrill and checked to make sure no cages were left occupied. One Clefable stepped forward and approached Mewtwo.

"Clefable," the Clefable called over.

Leaf stepped over to Mewtwo with Squirtle and Cleffa following close behind. The other Clefairys and Clefables recognized the Cleffa when she stood in front of the girl.

"Is anyone from your family here?" he asked quietly and studied the bigger faces.

Cleffa examined the others in a moment of silence before she shook her head. Mewtwo knelt down and patted her head gently.

"I'm sorry," Mewtwo sighed, "do you want to stay with Leaf? You'll have adventures to tell when you come back."

Cleffa stared into Mewtwo's eyes and nodded eagerly.

"Cleffa! Cleffa!" Cleffa chirped happily.

The other Cleffas, Clefairys and Clefables exchanged excited glances in a moment of silence before the lead Clefable pulled out a Moon Stone.

"R-Really?" Leaf blurted, "for us?"

"Clefa!" the Clefable nodded.

Mewtwo couldn't help but smile as he looked back to the lead Clefable and gave a nod.

"Thank you," Mewtwo said, "we'll treasure it until it's needed."

Upon cue, the Clefable deposited the Moon Stone into Leaf's hands. Soon, the Clefairys, Cleffas and Clefables dispersed from the area, many of them in families, while Leaf and Mewtwo made their way back to Red and Gary.

"So now we move on?" Red asked.

Leaf nodded, keeping her eyes away from Red's.

"Guys," Leaf requested, "do me a favor and keep Mewtwo's identity a secret."

Mewtwo readjusted his cloak and put his hood back up.

"If you'd like to give me a human name, I'll allow it," Mewtwo offered.

Red nodded slowly and examined Mewtwo.

"I guess Murphy, maybe?" he tilted his head, "nah, too similar."

Leaf swayed her torso side to side while she thought of some options.

"Will Helios work?" Leaf suggested.

After a moment of silence, Mewtwo nodded.

"Interesting. I approve," he smiled.


	12. A Curry Kind of Picnic

The rest of the journey through Mount Moon continued on smoothly. Mewtwo led Leaf, Red and Gary outside, setting foot into Route Four. They really shouldn't be surprised when they noticed police cars showing up. They simply moved to the side as officers emerged from the cars. Officer Jenny sent out a Growlithe before stepping over to the exit of Mount Moon, leading the other officers inside.

Red and Gary jumped off a ledge while the former carried his Pikachu in his arms. The four travelers continued down the route until they reached an open field next to a large patch of grass surrounded by trees. Leaf sighed as she crouched to the ground. She pulled out her Pokégear to check the time. They hadn't reached Cerulean City yet and it's almost noon. It didn't help that none of the three trainers brought anything for lunch.

"How much longer before we get to Cerulean City?" Leaf called over.

Gary simply plopped down onto the ground.

"Most likely an hour," Gary complained, "but I'm already starving!"

Mewtwo looked around for anything they could use.

"If you want, I can teleport us to the town," Mewtwo offered, "save you some walking?"

Squirtle had already started to check bushes he could reach for berries. Red answered by sitting down and reaching into his backpack. Pikachu tilted his head upwards and sniffed the air. He perked up and trotted over to watch a distant picnicker and camper setting up a table. Mewtwo looked around and spotted him, tilting his head.

"Pika?" Pikachu chirped.

Mewtwo smiled at the Pikachu, kneeling down and patted his head. Squirtle glanced over his shoulder when he smelled the aroma.

"Squirt?"

Squirtle waddled over to Leaf while carrying a few Leppa berries he found. His trainer rose to her feet and led her starter over to Mewtwo. The next thing she knew, she saw the Pikachu scurry over to the field, stopping just inches before a pair of Nidorans.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu greeted while waving his hand.

While the camper trainer pulled out a package of mixed mushrooms, the picnicker shifted her gaze towards the Pikachu.

"Oh my gosh!" she smiled, cupping her cheeks with her hands, "there's a cute Pikachu over here!"

Red heard the distant voice and jumped to his feet, sprinting over to Mewtwo's left.

"Oh, shit," Red muttered, "I hope she doesn't try to catch him."

In the meantime, the camper set down the package of mushrooms and walked over to the Pikachu.

"Hi, little guy," the camper greeted as he extended his hand, "are you hungry?"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu nodded before he pointed at Leaf, Mewtwo and Red.

The picnicker made a brief glance at Red and Leaf.

"Oh!" the picnicker blurted as she waved her hand, "good morning, guys! What you doing out here?"

Leaf stammered nervously as she lowered her head.

"We…just traveled through Mount Moon," Leaf answered.

Red glanced over his shoulder and locked eyes onto Gary whose Bulbasaur perched in his lap.

"Gary?" Red called over, "I think we got invited to lunch!"

"Cool, what are we contributing?" he called back.

Mewtwo shook his head and gestured Leaf to go first, offering his hand. While Gary stood up with Bulbasaur in his arms, Leaf strolled over to the camper and picnicker, focusing her eyes on their chins instead of their eyes.

"H-Hey," Leaf stammered nervously as she gestured to Squirtle standing next to her, "I'm Leaf Aoyama, and this is my Squirtle over here."

The camper and picnicker gave Leaf a confused stare.

"Ok," the camper drawled.

Pikachu focused his eyes on Squirtle and smiled at him. The tiny turtle smiled back as Mewtwo approached Leaf from close behind.

"Also," Leaf gestured to Mewtwo, "this is my friend Helios."

The camper gave Mewtwo a confused stare while he tilted his head sideways.

"Why does he have a…cloak on?" he asked.

Red and Gary sauntered over to where Leaf and Mewtwo were standing. Red knelt down to pet his Pikachu.

"He's one of these types sensitive to sunlight," Red improvised, "can't remember the condition name, though."

The picnicker sighed and shrugged.

"Of course," she replied, "I think we might have enough ingredients to serve all of us. Wanna take a look at the options?"

Leaf and Gary nodded eagerly, so the camper reached into his backpack and pulled out more ingredients such as a boiled egg and coconut milk. Squirtle raised the Leppa berries into the air, catching the picnicker's attention.

"Oh," she blurted, "sorry, Squirtle. I'm allergic to Leppa berries."

Mewtwo gave the picnicker a confused stare as Squirtle lowered his head.

"How come?" Mewtwo asked.

"Last time I ate one," the picnicker explained as she slumped her shoulders, "I had to be hospitalized."

Leaf knelt down and scooped up the Leppa berries before stashing them into her berry pouch. Mewtwo nodded as he rubbed his chin. Interesting that humans could eat what was technically classified as Pokémon food, as Pokémon could with human food to some extent, or even be allergic to it. He watched the camper pick out the ingredients. He was interested in trying more human food, given it currently didn't seem to have any negative effects on him. Red, Leaf and Gary examined the berries and ingredients on the table as the picnicker went to prepare the rice cooker.

"So," the camper asked, "what do you think?"

Leaf smiled at the key ingredients on the table before she examined the berries.

"I-I really can't stand Spelon berries," Leaf admitted.

The camper blinked twice as he glanced at the Spelon berry on the table.

"Really?" he blurted.

"T-They give my mouth a…feeling as if it was being burnt to a crisp," Leaf tried to explain.

The camper sighed and stashed away the Spelon berry.

"Other than that," Leaf added, "the Chilan berry, the Lum berry and the Hondew berries are ok."

The camper nodded before he started to open the packages of the boiled egg and mixed mushrooms.

"What recipe would be made out of this?" Mewtwo asked.

Red got out water bowls.

"We're making curry," the picnicker explained, glancing over her shoulder.

Gary stepped over to the large pot sitting on a frame above a campfire. Leaf sent out her Pidgey, Magnemite, Cleffa and Bellsprout while Red sent out his Charmander, Spearow and Paras. All the while, the professor's grandson noticed a Sandshrew pop out of another patch of tall grass and sniff the air, waddling its way towards the campsite.

"Hey," Gary pointed out, "whose Sandshrew is that?"

Leaf and Red turned their heads and gave the Sandshrew a blank stare. The picnicker laughed nervously and placed her hand behind her head.

"That Sandshrew's not ours!" she dismissed.

Mewtwo examined the Sandshrew from a distance.

"I wouldn't be surprised if it's hungry," Mewtwo mused.

Leaf blinked twice before she pulled out her berry pouch. Reaching in for a few Leppa berries, she slowly walked over to the Sandshrew and knelt.

"Come here, buddy," Leaf chirped in a singsong voice, "you want some berries?"

The Sandshrew focused its eyes on Leaf and shuffled over to her, sniffing at the berries. After a moment, it leaned forward and snatched a Leppa berry with its mouth before it started munching on it. Gary smiled and put his hands on his hips.

"Lucky you," Gary gave Leaf a wink.

Once the picnicker started up the rice cooker, she stepped over to the table and started cutting up the berries.

"Who wants to volunteer for when we start cooking the curry?" the camper announced, "the more, the merrier!"

Red nodded as Gary sent out his Beedrill and Rattata.

"I'll give it a shot," Red proclaimed, placing his hand on his chest.

Gary ushered his Pokémon to gather near Red and Leaf's Pokémon as they played with the Nidorans. With Leaf distracting the Sandshrew, the camper carried the ingredients to the large pot while the picnicker pulled out fans from her bag, distributing them to each one.

"Ok, Charlie," the picnicker gave her friend a thumbs up, "release the ingredients!"

"You got it, Blanche!" Charlie nodded.

Camper Charlie deposited the ingredients into the large pot filled with sauce and finished by pouring in the coconut milk. From there, Red, Gary, Charlie and Blanche fanned the campfire underneath the pot until the flames burst to life. Once the flames started heating up the mixture, the four trainers set aside the fans and retrieved stirring spoons, moving in before they started stirring the curry. Red would make an occasional glance at Gary to remind him not to go too fast, making sure the curry didn't spill. The steady stirring went on for several minutes before all the ingredients were properly cooked and the curry well heated.

The curry emitted an enticing scent which excited the Pokémon within the campsite. Several minutes later, the four trainers finished the curry, so Blanche made her way to the rice cooker while Charlie brought out plates. Leaf, having finished feeding the wild Sandshrew, scrambled to fetch drink orders while she settled for lemonade. Mewtwo also pitched in as he served the curry onto each plate and distributed the servings among the trainers and Pokémon. He soon got a serving for himself and another for Leaf.

"I'm impressed with the variety of human food," Mewtwo spoke into Leaf's mind.

Leaf smiled at Mewtwo before they both sat down next to each other at the table. When the other trainers and Pokémon sat down with their drinks and servings of curry, they started digging in. The Legendary couldn't help but savor the curry with each bite. Leaf's Squirtle happily chowed down his serving of curry and smiled at his trainer.

"This is great!" Gary complimented between bites, "thanks for inviting us to lunch!"

"Anytime, Gary," Charlie replied.

As everyone continued to savor their lunch, Mewtwo observed such a tranquil moment to the point it eased any nervousness for once. After lunch, Charlie and Blanche started packing up their equipment while Leaf, Red and Gary recalled their Pokémon. Interestingly enough, Sandshrew still wouldn't stop following Leaf around.

"I guess we'll be heading out soon," Charlie told Red, "we could travel through Mount Moon, but I'm worried about running into Team Rocket."

"Well, the police are in there and I think we already dealt with Team Rocket, so it should be good," Red answered, observing the mountain, "you might even be able to get an escort through?"

"Thanks," Charlie sighed in relief.

Mewtwo kept his eyes locked onto the Sandshrew.

"Leaf," Mewtwo told her, "I believe you have a new member."

Leaf glanced over her shoulder and gazed at the Sandshrew.

"Really?" Leaf blurted, "you wanna come along?"

"Shrew!" the Sandshrew chirped happily.

Leaf smiled before she reached in to pull out a Poké Ball. She tossed it and watched as it tapped the Sanshrew's head, opening up and absorbing it before it snapped shut and dropped to the ground. Leaf gestured her hand to count to three with each shake from the Poké Ball. Shortly after the third shake, the release button flashed green. She smiled and fluttered her hand after she twirled around once.

"Now I gotta find a Ground type TM and then I can take on the Vermilion Gym," Leaf said to herself.

Leaf knelt down and picked up the Poké Ball, placing it among her other Pokémon in her bag. Squirtle jumped for joy before he hugged his trainer's leg.

"Squirtle, Squirtle!"

Leaf smiled and knelt down before she stroked her Squirtle's head.

"Thanks, buddy!" she chirped.

While Pikachu climbed up to perch onto Red's shoulder, Leaf scooped Squirtle into her arms before she met up with the boys.

"So," Gary winked as he brushed some stray hairs out of his eyes, "should we head to Cerulean City?"

Leaf and Red nodded in unison. Gary tilted his head towards Charlie and Blanche, giving them a thumbs up.

"Smell ya later!" Gary called over.

Once Charlie and Blanche waved goodbye, Gary, Red, Leaf and Mewtwo continued their journey down the route. An hour later, they reached the edge of Cerulean City. To their right, they could see a bike shop and they were certain they would find a Pokémon Center here. They continued their stroll down a few blocks until they could see the iconic Pokémon Center one block before the Cerulean Aquarium. To their right sat a beautiful fountain with a statue of a Gyarados in the middle.

Mewtwo took in the scent of the sea and made a brief glance at a cavern entrance to his left. Squirtle scurried over to the fountain and admired the Gyarados statue. Even if he knew he couldn't evolve into that exact species, he still admired the power the beast surely had. Leaf and Mewtwo approached the fountain while Red and Gary made a beeline towards the Pokémon Center. Squirtle managed to climb up on the edge of the fountain and peered down at the coins, tilting his head with a curious expression.

"Squirtle?"

In the meantime, Mewtwo examined the intricate details of the statue such as the crest and fins.

"You humans can put your passion into what seems like the simplest things," Mewtwo mused, "fascinating."

Leaf nodded as she leaned closer to Mewtwo, slightly swinging one leg back and forth.

"Thanks," Leaf smiled.

A moment of silence passed before Mewtwo sighed.

"Maybe we should head to the center," Leaf suggested, "my Pokémon could use the rest they need."

"I could use a break, too," Mewtwo nodded in agreement.

Leaf scooped Squirtle into her arms before she led Mewtwo through the door to the Pokémon Center. Once inside, the Legendary made his way to the lounge and settled onto a couch next to Red and Gary while Leaf made her way to the counter.

"Welcome to our Pokémon Center," Nurse Joy greeted, "we restore your tired Pokémon to full health."

Leaf nodded before she recalled her Squirtle. She didn't hesitate to deposit the Poké Balls onto the tray, allowing Nurse Joy to lift it into her hands.

"It'll take a few minutes," Nurse Joy added, "please wait patiently."

While Nurse Joy carried the tray to the healing station, Leaf sauntered over to the lounge and sat down next to Mewtwo. He looked up to the TV as it showed the news and frowned when the news switched to a report on the chaos in Mount Moon.

"Why do they need to report it?" Mewtwo commented, "couldn't it be private now the threat is gone?"

Gary gave Mewtwo a blank stare.

"What do you mean by that?" Gary objected, "I mean, everyone knows about Team Rocket already. Why does it even need to be a private matter, anyway?"

The screen soon displayed a picture of the trainer they encountered back in Mount Moon, that same one who risked her life to try to save the Clefairy clan from Team Rocket. That photo showed the brilliant green eyes which once reflected such a livelihood Mewtwo remembered. This time, the photo displayed a name beneath…

Beth Chandler.

"That being private, is what I meant," Mewtwo looked away, "she couldn't have had a decent passing. She was determined, from what I briefly knew of her. Perhaps I should have copied her memories before she left, to let her family know how brave she was."

Gary stiffened while the screen switched to an interview with a married couple which he assumed were her parents.

Mewtwo stared at his feet as he listened.

"Perhaps I should have tried harder to stop her from going alone. She said she had her other Pokémon and now they're in the hands of Team Rocket," he clenched his fists, "I want to get them back and return them to those humans to be taken care of."

Mewtwo blinked and took deep breaths, trying to keep his anger under control before anything could start floating.

"We were proud of her when she got a Nidoran on the day she became a Pokémon trainer," the mother explained on the screen, "when she set out, we could hope to see the day she faced the Pokémon League."

Leaf snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the ringing bell over the intercom. She stood to her feet and scrambled over to the counter before she retrieved her Poké Balls from the tray.

"Thank you for waiting," Nurse Joy smiled as she bowed her head, "we restored your Pokémon to full health. We hope to see you again!"

Leaf stepped back over to the lounge and stood near the couch. Mewtwo sighed before he rose to his full height.

"I don't think I can stand being here any longer," Mewtwo muttered, gazing at Leaf.

"Can I come?" Leaf requested.

A moment of silence passed before he nodded. Leaf and Mewtwo made their way to the front door of the Pokémon Center. Maybe somewhere with peace and quiet will do.


	13. Cerulean Aquarium Tour

Shortly after Mewtwo and Leaf left the Pokémon Center, they started their search for a place where no one could distract them. He glimpsed at the hill in the distance and gazed back at her.

"Should we fly there?" Mewtwo asked, "it seems a bit of a way to walk."

Leaf nodded before she stepped closer to Mewtwo, allowing him to lift her into his arms. The Legendary scanned his surroundings before he kicked off into the air, gliding over to the hill. He noted the house nearby as he gently landed, letting her hop out of his grip. He turned and sat down on the grass, gently running his hand over it. The scent of the sea was much stronger up here, but it made the air smell fresher than it had been just among the trees. Leaf rocked back and forth as she also took in the scent. After a moment of silence, she sat down next to the psychic Legendary.

"There's something about that house," Mewtwo mentioned, "I don't think even if whoever's inside saw me, there would be any reason to worry."

Leaf didn't really say anything as her eyes stared at the ground. Mewtwo kept his eyes on her and stayed quiet, leaving her to her thoughts as he focused on taking deep breaths and calming himself. Since no one was around to interrupt them, Mewtwo removed his hood while his tail emerged from his cloak. He closed his eyes against the wind and let it run over his skin. He listened to the Pokémon noises echoing across the forest and started to relax. When Leaf leaned closer to him, he wrapped his arm around her.

"May I ask how you're feeling," Mewtwo asked her, "or if you wish to talk about anything?"

Leaf took a deep breath before she tilted her head towards Mewtwo.

"Well," Leaf started, "have you heard of…Autism?"

Leaf squeezed her eyes shut, worried he might brush it off like her teacher did. Mewtwo blinked twice as he rubbed his chin. He may have picked up that word when he first read her mind, but really didn't think much about it.

"Tell me more," Mewtwo persuaded.

Leaf's face lit up while Mewtwo stretched his legs across the ground, allowing her to perch on his lap.

"W-Well," Leaf continued to explained, "I remember my mom telling me I was diagnosed with it when I was four."

Leaf fluttered her hand to ease any tension in her mind.

"Would you like to try and explain it," Mewtwo asked, "or shall I, with your permission, look through your experiences?"

Mewtwo watched her hand with intrigue. He certainly picked up on what he assumed were her unique habits, but hadn't thought much of it.

"I-I guess I have nothing to hide," Leaf answered, "I could try explaining a few things, though."

Mewtwo watched as Leaf rested her head on his chest.

"As you wish. I am 'all ears', as I have heard humans say. I would like to know as much about my friends as you would like me to know," Mewtwo wrapped his tail around her.

"Some people say Autism is a disease, but it's really not," Leaf started, "it just means…my brain's wired differently. Maybe there are pros and cons of that."

Leaf still fluttered her hand.

"Whenever I'm stressed," Leaf continued, "I'll do these tiny rituals called 'stimming'. It's useful whenever I'm in stressful places."

"I haven't smelled anything like a disease on you," Mewtwo agreed, "I understood you had your unique habits, and I assume your fluttering is one your stims. Does it help to get energy out?"

Leaf nodded with a smile.

"Kinda. I'm glad my parents accepted me despite all that," Leaf said, "but my classmates and my teacher at school? Not so much."

Leaf lowered her head.

"When they treat me like I'm different," Leaf added, "it feels like they don't like the way I am."

"I gathered. Humans are cruel when they don't understand how it feels to be an outcast," Mewtwo told her.

His mind wandered to Eloise and the boys, and he briefly wondered how she felt now that he projected her despicable behavior towards Leaf at these neighboring towns.

"No matter what future hardships await you, Leaf," Mewtwo added, "I'll protect you. You're a worthy human, as far as I'm concerned."

Leaf responded by wrapping her arms around the psychic Legendary.

"Thank you, Mewtwo," she smiled, "for understanding me."

Mewtwo returned the embrace and readjusted his tail.

"It seems to take an outcast to know an outcast. You're welcome."

Mewtwo rested his chin on Leaf's head and started purring. He was again surprised by this new habit, but he was becoming accustomed to it. He felt even more happy to know Leaf was brave enough to come forward with some aspects of her own life. He relaxed in the ambience, knowing she trusted him instead of fearing him for his alien appearance, and closed his eyes softly. They might as well let the peaceful moment linger on for a while longer. Maybe one day, he would be brave enough to tell her more about himself.

* * *

A few hours later, Red and Gary made their way out of the Pokémon Center. They may not have enough time to face the Gym Challenge today, but they might as well check out the Cerulean Aquarium. They soon found Leaf and Mewtwo standing near the entrance. The psychic Legendary had his cloak back on, having resisted the temptation to go near the house despite some familiar vibes he was picking up from it. He nodded his silent greeting at the boys.

"I assume you two had a nice time in the outdoors?" Gary grinned as he placed his hands behind his head.

"I apologize for my…attitude," Mewtwo said remorsefully.

"It's ok, Helios," Red reassured Mewtwo, "I'd be frustrated if I lost my loved ones, too."

Red, Gary, Leaf and Mewtwo stepped through the door and entered the reception hall of the aquarium. He relaxed somewhat and studied the reception hall, listening to how the sound changed. Red glanced at the receptionist.

"Hey, can I get four tickets?" Red requested.

The receptionist examined the four visitors before he nodded. Red didn't hesitate as he made the payment and passed along the tickets among his friends.

"Have a good time," the receptionist smiled.

"Thanks!" Red grinned.

Red led Gary, Leaf and Mewtwo through the door, revealing a chamber which had large tanks hugging the walls. Leaf stared in awe as she spotted a school of Poliwags in one tank.

"Oh, so cool!" Leaf whispered happily.

Mewtwo's eyes widened and he blinked in the calming blue light, proceeding to watch the fish in a mesmerized state. Pikachu scanned his surroundings with an excited expression, resisting the urge to jump off Red's shoulder.

"Pika-pi," Pikachu clamored, "Pika Pikachu!"

Red sighed as he scratched behind his Pikachu's ear. Red approached a tank and observed a few Krabbys and Kinglers at the bottom. Strolling through the aquarium, Mewtwo wasn't sure how to feel about these Pokémon seeming caged, but they were at least in a livable environment. He carefully put his hand against the glass, sensing the coolness and vibrations of the filters within. A Goldeen swam up to Mewtwo and stared at him in a moment of silence. He stared back at it, tilting his head slightly.

"Goldeen?" the Goldeen gave Mewtwo a quizzical look.

"Hello," Mewtwo greeted using his telepathically.

After a moment of silence, the Goldeen swam off somewhere else. Mewtwo sighed before shifting his gaze towards Leaf, watching as she and her Squirtle observed some Horseas and Seadras in one tank. Mewtwo stepped towards her and stood by her side. A red haired lady came from the other direction and stood by the tank, happily watching the Horseas and grinning when one came to see her, donking gently against the glass. Squirtle made a brief glance at the redhead.

"Squirtle?"

She glanced over and smiled at the Squirtle before looking back at her Horsea. Leaf scooped the tiny turtle into her arms and made a brief glance at Mewtwo.

"Do you want to move on?" Mewtwo spoke into Leaf's head.

Leaf nodded before she and Mewtwo took a step away from the tank. The psychic Legendary made a brief glance at the redhead. She was talking quietly through the glass at the Horsea which reacted and made bubbles in response. Red glanced over his shoulder and did a double-take, nudging Gary.

"Psst, Gary," Red whispered, "the Gym Leader is here!"

Gary snapped out of his thoughts and glanced over his shoulder. She glanced over at them and smiled.

"Hi, were you wanting to challenge me?" she greeted, "I'm afraid the Gym's closed for the day."

Leaf and Mewtwo paused in their tracks and returned their gaze towards the Cerulean Gym Leader.

"Oh," Leaf blurted, "so…I guess you're visiting the aquarium, too?"

"Yeah, I like to see everybody before I go to dinner," the redhead explained, "the gym will be open again tomorrow. Are you all coming in together?"

Leaf swung her leg back and forth.

"We'll be taking turns," Leaf nodded, "but yeah."

The Gym Leader winked before she continued her stroll down the aquarium with Leaf, Mewtwo, Red and Gary following suit.

"I look forward to seeing you!" the redhead waved her hand, "I'm sure that Pikachu will have the easiest time!"

Mewtwo smiled and looked back at the passing tanks. Once the Cerulean Gym Leader left the area, Red and Gary shuffled to another tank to observe a Starmie. A Seel and Dewgong caught the Legendary's attention and he observed them swimming in the water. Leaf also approached the tank simulating a polar habitat for the Seels and Dewgongs.

"I see they're graceful," Mewtwo pointed out.

Leaf noticed one Dewgong swimming under the water when she peered through the clear thick glass. Mewtwo pressed his hand against the glass and felt the cold sensation from the water of the simulated habitat. Red stopped at a door which led to another chamber. He waited until Gary caught up with him before glancing over his shoulder and keeping an eye on Leaf and Mewtwo.

"You guys done back there?" Red called over.

Leaf and Mewtwo took a step back upon cue. The psychic Legendary glanced over the sign just before Red led the way into the tunnel.

"Oh, cool!" Gary exclaimed.

Before them, a large chamber had large pools holding larger water Pokémon. One had a Gyarados and another had a Lapras. Mewtwo gave the Gyarados an intense stare.

"Interesting," Mewtwo said to himself.

Red meandered along the path and approached the pool simulating the habitat for Lapras.

"Cool!" Red chirped, "I hope to get one of those!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Imagine going to Cinnabar on one!" Red added.

Mewtwo glanced over his shoulder and gave Red a blank stare.

"You can ride on a Lapras' back across large bodies of water," Red explained, "make sense?"

Mewtwo nodded in agreement. Leaf carried her Squirtle as she made her way to yet another pool, watching some Mantines and Mantykes swimming at the surface. She didn't mind the fact they weren't from the Kanto Region. She jumped back a little when a Mantyke jumped out of the water just inches before her. Mewtwo huffed with amusement and walked over to Leaf's side. The Mantyke didn't stay in the air long as it splashed back in the water.

"Interesting," he smiled.

Leaf, having barely avoided getting splashed on, focused her eyes on Mewtwo and smiled at him.

"I believe I enjoy museums," Mewtwo told her.

Squirtle tilted his head sideways.

"I enjoy aquariums, but sure," Leaf nodded.

Leaf and Mewtwo strolled to another pool and observed a Golduck swimming among Psyducks. He studied them, how the Golduck was a lot more graceful than the Psyducks, some of whom just floated on their backs. Squirtle stared excitedly and waved his arm.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle chirped.

The Golduck noticed and swam over.

"Golduck?"

"Squirtle! Squirtle!"

All the while, Pikachu jumped off Red's shoulder and stood on the railing, taking caution not to fall in. The Lapras noticed and paddled over to greet him.

"Pika!" Pikachu waved his hand.

Lapras gently splashed him and trilled. While Red smiled at the banter his Pikachu was exchanging with the Lapras, Gary returned to the pool Gyarados resided in. It passed him and eyed him before swimming off.

"Hey, Red?" Gary called over as he folded his arms behind his head, "I think I'm done here."

Red glanced over his shoulder.

"Ok," Red replied, "you can head up and we'll catch up."

Gary huffed before he made his way through the door. Red raised an eyebrow and glanced at his Pikachu.

"What's his problem?"

"Pika," Pikachu shrugged.

* * *

Later on in the early evening, Red, Leaf and Mewtwo left the aquarium.

"That was intriguing," Mewtwo commented, "I'd like to do that again."

"Sure thing," Leaf nodded in agreement before she tilted her gaze towards Red's Pikachu.

The young boy started stretching for a brief moment.

"I'm gonna go get some dinner," Red told them.

Once Red left with his Pikachu, Leaf followed Mewtwo as they made their way back to the fountain. He stared up at the statue before looking down at the coins, tilting his head.

"Does this not contaminate the water?"

Leaf chuckled nervously as she scratched her head.

"If it makes you feel any better," Leaf tried to reassure him, "this fountain doesn't house any Pokémon."

"And Pokémon don't drink out of it?" Mewtwo added, "hmm. That does make me feel better."

As Leaf gazed at the fountain, she allowed her Squirtle to perch on the railing and simply watch the flowing water. She exchanged glances with the tiny turtle and the cloaked psychic Legendary while she remained deep in her thoughts. Wasn't there some sort of legend tied to this fountain? Leaf reached into her wallet and pulled out three coins. Squirtle noticed and perked up, pointing to the coins still in the bottom.

"Want one?" Leaf quipped.

Leaf handed a coin to Squirtle before she offered another one to Mewtwo. He took the coin into his hand and gave her a confused stare.

"What's this for?" he asked.

"W-Well," Leaf explained, "I think I remember my dad telling me there's a legend tied to this fountain. From what I recall, if a trainer and a Pokémon toss a coin into the fountain, they grow closer together."

Mewtwo thought over the explanation in his head and nodded.

"I suppose it works just as well if you're not my trainer," Mewtwo clarified, "but my friend?"

"Yeah," Leaf agreed, "that, too."

He held the coin out over the water between his fingers.

"Ready."

After a few seconds of silence, Leaf, Mewtwo and Squirtle tossed their coins into the fountain in unison. The tiny turtle squirmed when the water hit him and seemed to laugh.

"You doing good, buddy?" Leaf chirped.

Squirtle turned to face Leaf and smiled at her. Mewtwo sighed in content as Leaf lifted her starter into her arms.

"Maybe we should head back to the center," she said.

"Right this way, then," Mewtwo gestured Leaf to follow him.


	14. The Cerulean Gym Splash Zone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you know, I have a DeviantArt and Tumblr of the same username but condensed into one word. If you have either of those, then don't be afraid to make fanart of this fanfic if that's what your heart desires. Just be sure to tag The Mindwave Chronicles or even my username and I'll be happy to take a look at it.

Leaf and Mewtwo stopped by the Poké Mart the following morning shortly after breakfast. Gaining enough revenue from her trainer battles allowed her to stock up on Poké Balls, Antidotes, Paralyz Heals, Awakenings and an Escape Rope. When they strolled down an aisle displaying food items, Leaf grabbed a box of Lava Cookies. The psychic Legendary picked up a box to examine it with intrigue.

"I don't suppose this is real lava?" Mewtwo asked.

Leaf grinned and shook her head.

"Nope!" she chirped.

"I would be concerned if it was. That doesn't sound consumable."

Mewtwo put the box back and followed her as they left the aisle.

"Are you excited about this Gym battle?" Mewtwo asked her.

"Yep," she answered, "Magnemite and Bellsprout have a good chance."

"Red has Pikachu, so that shouldn't be much of a challenge for him," Mewtwo added.

Once they made their way to the checkout counter, Mewtwo watched as Leaf paid for her items, studying the money more closely than he had before. After that, they left the store and started their stroll to the entrance leading to the Cerulean Gym. He was getting adjusted to walking on his feet instead of just floating, but it was still an odd sensation. When they stopped inches before the doors, they waited until the doors automatically slid open. They stepped inside, setting foot into the lobby.

At the back of the lobby sat large windows giving a good view of the arena which took the form of a swimming pool. On a platform at the far edge of the pool, Mewtwo noticed sculptures which resembled a large seashell, seaweed and coral. He observed them with curiosity for a brief moment before he glanced at Leaf.

"Should I find a seat and cheer for you?" Mewtwo asked her.

Leaf gave Mewtwo a smile and nodded at him. They strolled down the lobby and stepped through the sliding door. Tilting their heads to their left, they noticed as Red and Gary were engaging in practice battles in a smaller adjacent room.

"Lucky!" Leaf chirped in a singsong voice.

Mewtwo spotted the redhead from yesterday from the corner of his eye just as she emerged from the locker room.

"Excuse me," she called over, "you must be Leaf Aoyama, right?"

Leaf stiffened before she tilted her head towards the redhead, cautiously avoiding her eyes.

"Y-Yeah," she answered.

The redhead had clearly just got changed into a sky blue swimsuit, and her hair was down from the ponytail it was usually in. She held three shrunken Poké Balls between her fingers, ready to be challenged.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Misty!" she greeted, "are you wanting to battle me or practice battle?"

Mewtwo carefully moved to sit over on the bleachers.

"I just want to go straight to the battle," Leaf answered.

Misty nodded and headed over to her platform, waiting for the referee. Leaf took a deep breath as she swung her leg back and forth. After she took the time to collect herself, she stepped over to the challenger's platform. She brought out her Bellsprout and Magnemite, allowing the magnet Pokémon to equip its Sonic Boom and swap its Tackle into its reserves. Bellsprout swapped out his Wrap move so he can equip his Poison Powder move.

"Ready to go?" Leaf asked.

The Bellsprout flapped his leaves eagerly and Magnemite spun its magnets.

"Whenever it's announced," Misty nodded.

Just as Leaf withdrew her Magnemite, the referee appeared on the bleachers and approached the railing. Misty took another moment to stretch her limbs.

"The battle between Leaf Aoyama and Gym Leader Misty is about to commence. Both trainers will use two Pokémon. Are we ready?"

"Let's go, Bellsprout!" Leaf called over.

Bellsprout carefully hopped over the platforms and Misty sent out Staryu, having out the other two Poké Balls.

"Let's go, Staryu!"

Misty sent out her Staryu which landed on a platform floating in the pool.

"Begin!" the referee announced.

"Staryu, rapid spin!" Misty commanded.

The Staryu launched itself towards the plant, spinning wildly.

"Jump out of the way!" Leaf called over.

Bellsprout thought fast and jumped off the platform he was standing on.

"Follow it!" Misty ordered.

The Staryu attempted to turn like a boomerang and come back to meet with the Bellsprout.

"Counter with a Vine Whip!" Leaf instructed.

Bellsprout brought out his vine and whacked the Staryu with it. The Staryu soon crashed back onto its platform.

"Swift!"

After righting itself, Staryu pointed its gem forward and shot a barrage of stars at the plant. The knock-back sent the Bellsprout crashing into a platform, causing Leaf to flinch. Bellsprout struggled for only a moment before it hopped back to its feet.

"Hang in there, Bellsprout," Leaf called, "get it with Acid!"

"Dodge and use Psywave!"

The Staryu jumped to avoid the shot of acid and a pink barrier quickly pulsed from its body, enlarging the farther away it got. Bellsprout stiffened and braced the pulsating barrier. The Staryu landed and watched as the barrier impacted with the plant. Once the Psywave dissipated, the plant still stood even when it panted heavily. Leaf took a moment to examine the water the platforms were floating on.

"Bellsprout," Leaf said, "think you can swim?"

"Bellsprout!" the Bellsprout nodded.

Leaf's Bellsprout jumped off the platform and splashed into the water.

"Another Swift!"

Staryu started up another Swift attack.

"Get your vines ready," Leaf instructed, "I got an idea."

Bellsprout brought out his vines and stared down the Staryu just as it launched out stars.

"Knock them back with the Vine Whip!" Leaf ordered.

Before the stars could hit Bellsprout, he knocked them back with each whack from his vines.

"Rapid Spin!" Misty commanded.

The Staryu started spinning rapidly while it followed the stars. Before it could get closer, the Bellsprout thought fast and restrained the Staryu in his vines.

"Nice one, Bellsprout!" Leaf cheered, raising her fist into the air.

Swinging his vines, Bellsprout slammed the Staryu hard onto a platform. In a matter of seconds, the star-shaped Pokémon collapsed.

"Staryu is unable to battle," the referee announced, "Bellsprout is the winner!"

Misty sighed and recalled her Staryu.

"Good job, Staryu, you did your best," Misty picked up another Poké Ball and tossed it, "go, Starmie!"

Once Starmie burst out of the Poké Ball, it landed on a floating platform and its gem lit up. Bellsprout climbed out of the water before he turned to stare down the mysterious Pokémon.

"Ready to keep going, Bellsprout?" Leaf clamored.

"Bellsprout!" Bellsprout chirped.

"Starmie, Hydro Pump!"

It sprayed a massive powerful jet of water at the plant, aiming to slam it against the wall behind it. Leaf stared in disbelief as the blast of water knocked Bellsprout off the platform. The instant the plant Pokémon slammed into the wall, it collapsed onto the floor.

"Bellsprout is unable to battle," the referee announced, "Starmie is the winner!"

"Crap," Leaf muttered under her breath.

"Good job, Starmie!" Misty cheered.

The front half of the Starmie spun victoriously. Sighing, Leaf reached for the other Poké Ball and sent out her Magnemite. Misty's eyebrows raised.

"Oh, interesting!" Misty raised her eyebrows, "I haven't fought a Magnemite in a while! Let's see how well it does against Rapid Spin!"

Starmie started spinning violently towards the floating magnet.

"Come on," Leaf beckoned, "get it with a Supersonic!"

The Starmie dropped to dodge the waves of confusion.

"Try Rapid Spin again!" Misty ordered.

Starmie caught itself in midair and moved to go around and hit it from behind. Mewtwo seemed most intrigued by this method as he finally perked up. Magnemite thought fast and flew out of the way, even if as Starmie started flying after it.

"Swift!"

Starmie stopped stopped and shot a barrage of stars as its predecessor had done. Strangely enough, the Magnemite endured the barrage of stars without even flinching, much to Leaf's relief. Misty couldn't help but groan.

"Rapid Spin!"

Starmie started spinning back towards Magnemite. Without warning, the magnet Pokémon dived into the pool.

"Don't go in the water!" Misty warned.

The Starmie moved to land on a platform, clearly waiting for it to resurface.

"Almost got us there, kid, that's good thinking."

"Y-Yeah," Leaf stammered, her eyes glued to the pool, "you're probably in for a surprise. Sonic Boom!"

Magnemite shot a sonic blast from underneath the pool, startling the Starmie. Misty gave a fierce stare.

"Swift!"

The Starmie shot the stars at the wave, trying to cut a path through it before it reached its target. In a matter of seconds, the Magnemite emerged from the water.

"Now use Thunder Wave!" Leaf instructed.

Before Misty could react, Magnemite unleashed an electric field which enveloped the Starmie. The Starmie floated on the surface of the water, clearly paralyzed as its core blinked red.

"Uh-oh," Misty muttered under her breath.

Starmie tried to move, but the electrical jolts in its body froze it in place.

"Ok," Leaf called, "Thundershock!"

Upon cue, Magnemite unleashed electric blasts which jolted the Starmie. The water sparked as well but soon calmed down. The Starmie lay still, its light still blinking.

"Starmie?!" Misty called over.

Upon a single faint twitch, Misty returned the Pokémon.

"Oh well," Misty sighed, "great battle!"

"Starmie is unable to battle," the referee announced, "victory goes to Leaf Aoyama from Pallet Town!"

Leaf couldn't contain her excitement as she fluttered her hands and Magnemite happily twirled its magnet limbs. Red just emerged from the practice arena while Mewtwo smiled and rose to his full height. Shortly after Leaf recalled her Magnemite, Misty walked around the perimeter of the pool and approached her challenger. Misty pulled out a small box in her other hand, opening it to reveal the water droplet shaped badge.

"I believe this Cascade Badge is rightfully yours," Misty declared, "for beating me in a fair battle. Congratulations!"

Leaf smiled before she pulled out the Cascade Badge and placed it into a slot of her badge case.

"Thanks, Misty!" Leaf chirped.

Leaf offered her palm, allowing Misty to give her a high five. The Cerulean Gym Leader then gave her a TM labeled Water Pulse.

"I assume the boys will want to challenge me when I've healed up my Pokémon?" Misty grinned.

Leaf made a brief glance at Red just as Gary emerged from the practice arena.

"Yeah," Leaf agreed, "pretty much. You take care."

Leaf strolled over to Mewtwo shortly after he left the bleachers. She glanced at Gary and went to pick up a Revive and Super Potion. The psychic Legendary gave her a soft smile.

"Well done," he praised, "shall we go to the Center?"

"And maybe check out the rest of the city?" Leaf added, "yup!"

Leaf waved at Red and Gary before she followed Mewtwo out of the gym. Once outside, the psychic Legendary took a deep breath.

"That was…quite a shocking battle," Mewtwo gave Leaf a wink.

They took a moment to stroll to the Pokémon Center to heal up her Pokémon. When they emerged from the Center, they started heading north. Reaching the edge of the city, they observed a long bridge which seemed to stretch across the river.

"I believe the humans call this the Nugget Bridge," Mewtwo pointed out, "I've heard a lot of battles go on here."

Leaf nodded in agreement as she stood close to Mewtwo.

"Yeah," she replied, "this should be fun."

Mewtwo and Leaf started their stroll across the bridge. He kept his eyes down as they came to the first trainer. The bug catcher soon focused his eyes on Leaf and readied his Poké Ball.

"Hey, you!" the bug catcher yelled, "you have what it takes to beat us and win a fabulous prize?!"

Leaf stiffened before she tilted her head towards the bug catcher, not bothering to stare into his eyes. He started by sending out a Caterpie.

"Ok," Leaf reached for her own Poké Ball, "go, Pidgey!"

Mewtwo stepped back, glancing over towards the cave again. At least he was near something of a safe spot, he considered as he listened to the battle.

"String Shot!" the bug catcher commanded.

"Dodge," Leaf called, "then use Gust!"

The Pidgey did as commanded and thick blades of air slashed towards Caterpie, sending it tumbling backwards. The bug catcher stared in disbelief as Caterpie fainted at that spot, so he recalled it before sending out a Weedle. The Pidgey hovered and glanced down towards Leaf, ready to make the next move.

"Poison Sting!" the bug catcher ordered.

Just as Weedle started firing poison needles, the Pidgey dodged with no trouble.

"Now use Gust," Leaf instructed, "again!"

Pidgey launched another Gust, flying closer to have a bigger impact.

"Pijo!"

The same move easily brought down the Weedle, so the bug catcher grimaced as he sent out a Metapod. Pidgey circled above them, waiting for a final command.

"Let's give it a Gust!" Leaf gave her Pidgey a thumbs up.

Pidgey nodded at Leaf before she flapped her wings. She sent the final attack at the Metapod, hoping it hadn't instinctively hardened already. The bug catcher gaped as Metapod dropped to the ground. Groaning, he recalled his Metapod.

"Wow," he rasped, "good stuff."

Pidgey chirruped and spread her wings wide before she started glowing. Mewtwo perked his head up and stared in awe. She grew in size and the draft coming off her wings increased in strength. She moved to land in front of Leaf, realizing she couldn't fit on her shoulder anymore.

"P-Pidgey," Leaf gasped, "you evolved!"

"Pijoo!" the newly evolved Pidgeotto chirped.

Floating off the ground, Pidgeotto gently touched her beak to her forehead and shook her head, looking to the trainer she defeated. Mewtwo smiled and walked closer to her.

"Ready to move on?" Mewtwo asked Leaf.

Leaf made a brief glance at Mewtwo and nodded.

"Yeah," she answered, "let's go."

Her confidence boosted tenfold since Pidgey's evolution, so her Pokémon continued to plow through the other four trainers with ease. Pidgeotto paused partway through to have a drink and quick bath from the river before going back to the two, playfully splashing Mewtwo and Leaf. Bellsprout even learned Razor Leaf and Sandshrew learned two ground type moves. When they reached the end of Nugget Bridge, they stared down the last trainer. Mewtwo tensed upon seeing him and brushed Leaf's back warily.

"I don't like this one," Mewtwo spoke into her head.

Sandshrew seemed to jump from foot to foot eagerly, ready for another battle. The last trainer locked eyes onto Leaf and started strolling towards her.

"Congratulations!" he cheered as he spread his arms forward, "you just earned a fabulous prize!"

Leaf nodded sheepishly as she avoided the trainer's eyes.

"Yeah, whatever," she muttered, "what's the catch?"

The trainer didn't say anything as he placed the Nugget into Leaf's palm.

"By the way, kid," he added, "how would you like to join Team Rocket?"

Leaf stiffened as her eyes widened and panic surged through her veins, taking a step away from the mysterious trainer.

"No way!" she protested, "I'm not joining you guys!"

Mewtwo growled quietly and pulled her closer to him gently, glaring at the suspicious figure as he let out a hiss. Sandshrew stopped at his trainer's tone and stared up at the boy, starting to growl as well.

"Stubborn girl," the trainer grumbled as he shed his disguise and put on his black cap, "I suppose you're too retarded for Team Rocket anyway."


	15. A Talking Pokémon in the Cottage

The newly revealed Team Rocket grunt shifted his gaze towards the cloaked figure. Leaf let out a distressed moan as she embraced herself to Mewtwo, encouraging him to hold her close.

"Easy," Mewtwo assured her, "you're going to be ok."

"I'll give you an offer, Mewtwo," the Rocket grunt demanded, "if you turn yourself over to our leader now, he'll spare your girl's life."

Mewtwo blinked twice as he narrowed his eyes, extending his paw forward.

"I'll take you down with no effort if you move any closer," Mewtwo threatened, "no one will be any the wiser."

The Team Rocket grunt huffed before he sent out an Ekans. Sandshrew stepped forward to meet it.

"Sandsand!"

Leaf buried her face into the makeshift cloak.

"Sandshrew," Leaf called, "use Dig!"

Sandshrew quickly dug under the Ekans and waited to feel its heartbeat above him. Mewtwo kept his tail hidden under the cloak and wrapped it around her protectively.

"Steady, Ekans!" the grunt commanded, "move into position and get ready to strike the rodent!"

Sandshrew quickly moved underneath it and scratched at the snake's underside even after he exited the dirt. The Ekans let out a pained hiss before it plopped onto the ground. The grunt growled before he recalled his Ekans. Leaf peeked from under the cloak and took a moment to swap out Sandshrew and send in Magnemite. The grunt soon sent out a Zubat. Magnemite sparked, displeased at the grunt before focusing on the bat Pokémon.

"Leech Life!" the grunt ordered.

"Thundershock!" Leaf countered.

The Magnemite allowed the Zubat near it, trying and failing to leech anything, and shocked it after a second of confirmed contact. The Zubat let out a screech as the electric jolts surged through its body. Seconds later, it passed out and dropped to the ground. The Rocket grunt snarled before he recalled his Zubat.

"I see you two don't know when to quit while you're ahead," he growled.

"Neither do you. Now leave before I make good on my warning," Mewtwo continued to glower at him.

As soon as the grunt turned and stormed off, Leaf and Mewtwo sighed in relief. She took a step back, allowing the psychic Legendary to lean forward and nuzzle her face.

"Are you all right?" Mewtwo asked, "I hope he didn't scare you too much."

"Yeah," Leaf nodded sheepishly, "I'll be ok."

He nodded and waited for her to move first, slowly relaxing from the intense commotion. After a few minutes of silence, they continued their stroll through the route. Leaf spotted an Abra floating between the tall grass blades out of the corner of her eye, so she pulled out her Pokédex and held it out to scan her new discovery.

_{Abra, the Psi Pokémon. They're known to sleep for 18 hours a day and will teleport whenever it senses approaching danger. They use extrasensory powers even while they're asleep.}_

Leaf stashed her Pokédex and started tiptoeing past the patch of tall grass. Mewtwo glanced around before levitating above the ground. As they headed east, Leaf would occasionally make a brief glance at the river to her right. He tried to stop glancing over to the left, since the cottage at the edge of the route sent chills down his spine. The brunette trainer stopped in her tracks and tilted her gaze towards a berry tree to her left.

"Maybe I can find something helpful here," Leaf muttered to herself.

Pulling out her Berry Pouch, Leaf stepped over to the tree and inspected each branch, plucking out a few Persim berries. Mewtwo watched her and carefully floated up to see if any higher berries were ripe enough.

"Would you like more?" Mewtwo asked her.

Leaf took a moment to check her Berry Pouch.

"Maybe a few more will do," she answered.

Mewtwo spotted a few more ripe Persim berries and proceeded to harvest them, levitating them closer to the young trainer.

"Will these do?"

Leaf grabbed the floating berries and stashed them into her Berry Pouch. She took a step away from the tree while Mewtwo descended to the ground. Once they reached the edge of the route, Leaf sighed and crouched to the ground near a pond which had a bridge over it. The psychic Legendary simply stood by her side, scanning his surroundings in a moment of silence.

"Did you find something?" Mewtwo spoke into her mind.

Leaf simply shrugged before she glanced over her shoulder and locked eyes onto a cottage sitting on the other side of the pathway. Mewtwo followed her gaze and perked up his head.

"I'm getting that feeling again," Mewtwo told her.

Leaf lifted her head and gave Mewtwo a confused stare.

"What feeling?" she paused.

"Just…something familiar. May I investigate?"

He glanced back at her, well aware she wasn't his trainer but wanting to make sure she would be all right for a moment with whether she wanted to go inside with him or wait outside. Leaf reached into her bag and brought out her Squirtle who waddled over to Mewtwo and lifted his head up, gazing into the Legendary's eyes. He smiled and pat the Squirtle's head with his tail, keeping eye contact.

"You may follow me if you wish."

Leaf scooped Squirtle into her arms and stood to her feet. Mewtwo watched her and started to walk towards the cottage, moving to knock on the door. Much to their disappointment, no one answered.

"I guess no one's home," Leaf shrugged.

He tilted his head and focused carefully.

"No, I can sense…something in there," Mewtwo corrected, staring into Leaf's eyes, "should I try the door?"

Leaf and Squirtle nodded in unison without saying anything. Mewtwo took the hint and his psychic energy danced from his fingertips, his telekinesis turning the knob and pushing the door open. The psychic Legendary led the young trainer into the cottage before they started scanning their surroundings. When Leaf set her Squirtle down, the tiny turtle tilted his head and wandered over to one of the capsules, flinching when he noticed something behind the desk. Mewtwo noticed his reaction and moved to see the Kabuto struggling on its rounded back, probably having tripped back over the desk.

"Uh, hi!" a southern American accent came, "I'm Bill! A true blue Pokémon fanatic!"

Mewtwo tilted his head. The voice seemed familiar somehow. Was this the same Bill…?

"How?" Leaf stammered, staring in disbelief, "just…how?"

Leaf kept her breathing stable while she fluttered her hands.

"I…uh, screwed up an experiment and got combined with a Kabuto," Bill explained nervously, "uh, you mind helping me up?"

Mewtwo studied him and took a deep breath, using his telekinesis again to right the oddity.

"Whew, thanks!" the Kabuto sighed in relief, "would you mind helping me get back to normal?"

Mewtwo gave the Kabuto a slow nod before he shifted his gaze towards the teleporter.

"What do you need me to do?" Mewtwo asked.

Bill waved a leg at the computer.

"The procedure is already onscreen," Bill explained, "I'm pretty sure you just need to tell the Cell Separation System to Start Process. You can use the mouse."

Mewtwo nodded and focused his eyes on Leaf.

"I don't know how well I can grip this 'mouse'."

Leaf scampered over to the computer desk and perched one hand on the mouse. Mewtwo opened the door to the capsule behind him, helping Bill inside and shutting it. He tilted his head to listen to a muffled call and stepped away, nodding to Leaf.

"He's ready," he spoke into her head.

Upon cue, Leaf clicked on the Start Process icon. The insides lit up, flickering slightly. Both capsules and the tubing between them started sparking, the humming in the room grew louder and higher in pitch before finally stopping with a sudden whoosh of steam from under the capsules. Mewtwo didn't realize it disturbed the cloak enough to dislodge the hood. The doors opened and a small Kabuto scuttled out towards the front door. Mewtwo and Squirtle watched curiously, and they soon heard coughing as Bill stepped out into the steam. Leaf avoided staring into his eyes and simply huddled closer to the psychic Legendary.

"U-Uh," she stuttered, "h-hey."

The redhead smiled and watched her. Obviously as the steam was clearing, he hadn't noticed Mewtwo properly yet.

"Hey, thanks a lot," he smiled, "is there anything I can do to repay you?"

"I-I can't think of anything, really," Leaf let out a nervous chuckle.

Bill watched her and thought for a moment. Once an idea popped into his head, he raised one index finger.

"Oh, I know! I have these," Bill offered, "I wasn't going to use them, as I don't really like fancy gatherings."

He went over to the desk and picked up two cruise tickets for the S.S. Anne, stepping back over to the two visitors.

"You and your friend can use—"

Bill finally looked up at Mewtwo and his words caught in his throat. That was when the Genetic Pokémon realized his hood was down.

"Hello, Bill," he spoke into the man's head.

Bill's eyes widened and he took a step back, not paying attention as the tickets slipped out of his hands and fell to the floor.

"M-Mewtwo?!" Bill warbled.

Mewtwo gave Bill a nod and avoided eye contact as well, letting his tail drop into view again.

"Yes," he affirmed, "I may have grown since the last time we locked eyes."

Bill started taking deep breaths in an effort to calm himself from the shock. Mewtwo wheeled a chair over to him.

"Sit," Mewtwo instructed, "you've gone pale. I imagine you have questions."

Bill slowly settled into the chair while Leaf knelt down and picked up the tickets. Mewtwo used his telekinesis to wheel in two more chairs before he sat down, keeping an eye on Bill. The young trainer clutched the tickets in her hands as she settled into her seat, allowing her Squirtle to jump into her lap.

"I-I haven't heard of your last whereabouts for thirteen years," Bill stammered, "I-I just, were you terrified or something?"

"I was," Mewtwo admitted, making a brief glance at Leaf, "I've been attempting to come to terms with myself, my powers, my purpose. I've had several attempts at trying to teach myself humans aren't as bad as Team Rocket makes them out to be. Until I met Leaf, I hadn't had much luck."

Bill didn't say anything as he nodded. Leaf started swinging one leg back and forth.

"Do you know if Fuji survived?" Mewtwo continued, "I'm glad to see that you have, and I was hoping to talk to him, if I could."

Bill scratched his head in a moment of silence.

"I…do know he left Cinnabar Island after you escaped," Bill mentioned.

Squirtle perked his head up all of a sudden.

"Squirtle?"

Leaf, having perked her head up, pulled out her Pokégear and typed down Fuji in a search engine. She took a moment to scroll down a couple results.

"I…only got the Pokémon House in Lavender Town," Leaf blurted, "when I looked up Fuji, that is."

Mewtwo tilted his head.

"Perhaps we can check there," Mewtwo offered, "if you'd be alright with stopping by."

Leaf took a moment to think over the question as she lowered her head.

"After I get the Vermilion Badge?" she clarified.

Mewtwo gave her a soft smile.

"Of course," he agreed, "your journey comes first."

Mewtwo placed his hand on Leaf's shoulder, eliciting a smile out of her. The Legendary then shifted his gaze towards Bill.

"Are there any more questions or shall we leave you to rest?"

Bill shook his head.

"It was nice talking to you two," he told them.

As Bill rose to his feet, Leaf and Mewtwo stood from their chairs, the psychic Legendary putting his hood back on.

"Ok, take care," Leaf nodded.

Leaf and Mewtwo returned to Cerulean City a while later. Trading the Nugget at the loot shop was enough to provide extra cash to keep her going. As it was almost noon, they stopped by a small sandwich restaurant for lunch. Mewtwo made sure to secure his cloak before he left Bill's cottage and sniffed at the air when they entered the sandwich restaurant. They both found an empty table near the window.

He sat more in the shade and stayed silent as he thought to himself. Squirtle pressed himself against the window to peer outside. In the meantime, Leaf tilted her head towards the TV screen. Her face lit up when she heard the familiar pleasant catchy song from the TV's audio and saw an anime character she recognized appear on the screen.

"Oh?" Leaf warbled, "Asuna-chan's on!"

"Squirtle! Squirtle!" Squirtle chirped as he happily jumped up and down on the table.

Mewtwo looked to her and then to the TV, tilting his head.

"Something you like?" Mewtwo paused.

Squirtle answered excitedly and sat next to her on the table, happily watching it with her. Mewtwo made a noise of acknowledgment, but otherwise quietly watched it to see what the fuss was about. The episode started with the heroine of the show, Asuna Sakuragi, delivering lunch to the greenhouse in Floaroma with her Cherrim floating alongside her.

"I hope something exciting's going to happen here," Leaf chirped to herself, "right, Squirt Squirt?"

Squirtle winked at Leaf while Mewtwo read through the menu. He listened to the show while he read, intrigued by the options. While the episode continued to play, both the psychic Legendary and the young trainer ordered their lunch when the waiter stopped by. Mewtwo glanced through the window again. He relaxed and let his tail lay on the seat next to him. Leaf and Squirtle were already engrossed at the antics of Asuna and her best friend Mika trying to figure out the whereabouts of the flock of Starlys, Staravias and Staraptors.

Several minutes later, the waiter returned with the sandwiches on a tray. Mewtwo perked up his head and nodded gratefully, taking and eating one. Leaf happily munched on her grilled cheese sandwich. The psychic Legendary savored the flavor slightly while he ate, reconfirming that he liked human food. By the time they finished their lunch, the episode of Miracle Asuna-chan ended with the stranded Starly finally reuniting with its flock and they continued their migration, which was enough to satisfy Leaf's curiosity. Mewtwo couldn't help but give Leaf a gentle smile.

"May I ask why you like the show?" Mewtwo asked her.

Leaf placed a finger on her chin.

"For one thing, it teaches basic lessons on how to be a decent person," Leaf explained, "and second, I find myself relating to Asuna-chan."

Mewtwo nodded, knowing her reason made sense.

"Well," Mewtwo agreed, "I'm glad to hear that."

Shortly after Leaf paid the bill, she and Mewtwo stepped out of the sandwich restaurant. The psychic Legendary took a moment to scan his surroundings.

"Are we calling it a day?" Mewtwo asked.

Leaf shrugged as she swayed her torso from side to side.

"Maybe we could meet up with Red and Gary back at the Center," Leaf suggested.


	16. A Digging Kind of Trouble

From there, they started their stroll towards the Pokémon Center. He tilted his head towards the sky as a flock of bird Pokémon flew over. By the time they reached the entrance, Leaf spotted Red out of the corner of her eye as his Pikachu followed him close behind. The electric mouse perked up his ears and locked eyes onto the psychic Legendary and the brunette.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu called over as he waved his hand.

Mewtwo smiled and nodded at the Pikachu.

"Hello."

Red stopped in his tracks and made a brief glance at Leaf and Mewtwo.

"Hey," Red called over, "we were just doing some after Gym training."

Leaf nodded at Red as she approached the door.

"Is Gary waiting for his challenge?" Leaf asked.

"Yeah," Red nodded, "where've you two been? Up to the hill?"

Leaf shrugged as the door automatically slid open before she led Mewtwo, Red and Pikachu inside. Pikachu trotted along beside his trainer, jumping up onto the counter. Squirtle stayed at his trainer's side while Mewtwo took a seat. Both trainers started depositing their Poké Balls onto the trays, recalling Squirtle and Pikachu before depositing theirs.

"It'll only take a few minutes," Nurse Joy told them, "please be patient."

Nurse Joy carried the trays to the healing station. Leaf and Red waited for a few minutes before the healing station finished healing their Pokémon.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy!" Leaf smiled.

"We hope to see you again," Nurse Joy gave the trainers a deep bow.

Red retrieved his Pokémon while Leaf noticed Magnemite's Poké Ball shaking without warning when she picked it up. She thought fast and sent out the magnet Pokémon, watching as it floated down to the floor.

"Magnemite," Leaf called, "you ok?"

Mewtwo glanced over his shoulder and rose to his full height. The Magnemite gave a sad-sounding buzz and looked in the direction of the cafeteria, then the computer, and TV, spinning its magnets slowly.

"Maaaaag."

Red didn't hesitate to bring his Pikachu back out, allowing the electric mouse to waddle over to the Magnemite.

"Pika!" Pikachu called out, "Pika Pikachu!"

It seemed to perk up slightly as he approached, holding its magnets to him.

"Magna, Magna-Magnemite. Magnemite."

Pikachu scanned his surroundings for a brief moment before he gestured to the door.

"Pika!"

Leaf and Red watched as Pikachu led Magnemite towards the front door. It hovered a little way off the ground, sluggishly following the mouse.

"Mag?"

Leaf, Red and Mewtwo followed the Pikachu and Magnemite as they made their way outside.

"Helios?" Red asked Mewtwo, "what's going on?"

"It's hungry," Mewtwo explained, "I believe Pikachu is taking it to a safe area so he can feed it with his own voltage."

Leaf's face lit up as she blinked twice.

"Really?" she warbled.

Mewtwo nodded.

"It makes sense for a small robotic Pokémon to not have regular food."

Leaf fluttered her hand.

"I-I mean," Leaf blurted, "I-I didn't expect…Pikachu to pitch in to help."

It didn't take long before they reached a town square with not much electronics to distract the Magnemite. Pikachu locked eyes onto the magnet Pokémon while he rubbed his red cheeks with his paws to generate sparks. Magnemite bounced slightly, seeming eager to feed.

"Piiikaaaaa," Pikachu generated more electric sparks as he readied his stance.

Magnemite spun its magnets and watched the electric mouse.

"Chuuuu!" Pikachu unleashed a Thundershock.

The wave of electricity soon hit the Magnemite. It closed its eye while it absorbed the electric energy. Red, Leaf and Mewtwo stared in awe over the course of a minute until Magnemite recharged itself fully. Pikachu dissipated his Thundershock and took a moment to catch his breath.

"Magne-Magnemite!" Magnemite beeped.

It happily rubbed up against Pikachu with grateful enthusiasm before floating back to Leaf.

"Mag-Mag!"

"You feeling better, buddy?" Leaf smiled.

Leaf ran her hand along Magnemite's large screw head atop its body. Pikachu scampered back towards Red and jumped into his arms.

"Mag!" Magnamite beeped as it closed its eye.

Mewtwo smiled and looked back to the Center. Red grinned and scratched behind Pikachu's ear.

"That was so sweet of you, bud," Red praised.

"Chu!" Pikachu winked at Red, "Pika-pi!"

While Red ruffled his Pikachu's fur, he didn't pay attention to three shadowy figures hiding behind nearby bushes. Mewtwo glanced around again, tensing slightly and sending them a telepathic message as he moved towards the doors.

"I'm going back inside," Mewtwo said.

Pikachu snuggled in Red's arms and Leaf recalled her Magnemite. Mewtwo glanced back to the teens at the door.

"Are you two staying out here?" Mewtwo called over.

Leaf stammered as she sprinted over to Mewtwo.

"Careful," Mewtwo smiled at her and offered his hand discreetly.

Red didn't hesitate to follow the two inside the Center. Jessie, James and Meowth peeked from under the bushes as they kept their binoculars on the building.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" James asked Jessie.

"That sure is one powerful Pikachu!" Meowth commented.

"I think the boss might like it," James agreed, "any ideas?"

Jessie took a moment to think before she removed her binoculars.

"If getting him a Pikachu will win us a promotion," Jessie suggested, "we should give these twerps a distraction."

"Hmm," James placed his finger on his chin, "what kind of distraction?"

Meowth tilted his head towards a house north of the gym.

"Why don't we go raid that house?" Meowth suggested while he raised his paw, "that'll sure stir up some trouble!"

James nodded and casually headed towards the house with Jessie and Meowth following close behind. He stretched his arms and cracked his knuckles.

"Are we knocking and barging in?" he whispered to Jessie.

Jessie shook her head as she patrolled the perimeter of the house.

"Meowth," he followed her and smirked, "you see any vents you can sneak in?"

Meowth found one at the back of the house moments later.

"I guess I'm having all the fun doing some snooping around," Meowth grinned, "somebody get me a screwdriver!"

James checked the tool kit clipped onto his belt. He found a screwdriver and handed it to Meowth, who didn't hesitate to unscrew the screws holding the vent in place. The catlike Pokémon watched his surroundings for anyone or anything that would alarm to their presence. Once the coast was clear, he climbed into the ducts. Meowth meandered through the narrow tunnels in search of a way inside. James stood outside and crossed his arms, tapping his fingers on a bicep.

Jessie and James patrolled the perimeter while avoiding any witnesses until several minutes later, they spotted a hole opening up in the ground at the east side of the house. Seconds later, Meowth emerged with a TM in his possession.

"Great going!" James gave Meowth a thumbs up with a grin, "what did you nab?"

"They had this nice Dig TM," Meowth answered, flashing the TM before his comrades, "and I figured they don't need it anymore."

"That is nice!" James replied, making a brief glance at his partner, "can your Ekans use it, Jessie?"

Jessie brought out her Ekans while Meowth handed the stolen TM to James.

"Ekans," Jessie sang, "I got a surprise for you!"

The snake tilted its head and looked to James as he held out the TM. It flicked its tongue and looked to Jessie as though needing assurance from its trainer.

"Go on," Jessie persuaded, "I'm sure you'll make great uses out of it."

After a moment of silence, Ekans slithered towards James as he knelt down and tapped the TM on its head. A shimmer went over it and it hissed proudly, looking to Jessie as though eager to try the new move. Meowth grinned eagerly himself.

* * *

Back at the Pokémon Center, Leaf and Mewtwo sat across from Red in the lounge as he, his Pikachu, Spearow, Paras and Charmander were savoring their lunch. Mewtwo felt calmer now he was back in a safe enclosed environment, though he was starting to feel boredom kick in and was tempted to find something to read. Red paused as he looked up to the TV, frowning at the sudden flash of breaking news.

"We interrupt this program to inform you of these recent events," the reporter announced, "officers are currently investigating an alleged break-in at a home on the northeastern side of Cerulean City."

"That's really close," Red commented, "should we investigate?"

Pikachu climbed onto Red's lap and stared intensely at the TV screen, his ears twitching.

"Pika…"

"Pikachu," Red asked, "you ok?"

Pikachu waved his tail and sat on his trainer's lap.

"Pika."

Mewtwo watched Pikachu, clearly invested enough in what he was saying.

"If you wish to investigate for yourself," Mewtwo informed the two trainers, "then feel free to let me know."

Leaf blinked once before she tilted her head towards Mewtwo.

"You just want an excuse to intimidate the grunts out, right?" Leaf joked.

Mewtwo couldn't help but chuckle at Leaf's comment.

"Perhaps," he smirked at her and glanced back at the TV.

Another minute of ambience passed before Red and his Pokémon finished their lunch. He quickly recalled his Spearow, Paras and Charmander. Pikachu groomed his face and waited for his trainer to give a signal.

"Pikachu," Red grinned, "you ready?"

"Pika pika!" Pikachu nodded eagerly.

Pikachu hopped off of Red's lap, allowing him to stand to his full height. He took the bowls and plate to the cart and went back to the table.

"Are you coming, Leaf," Red called over, "or staying with Helios?"

Leaf and Mewtwo responded by standing to their feet.

"You could use some backup," Leaf suggested, "just in case."

Red gave Leaf a blank stare for a brief moment before he let out a nervous chuckle.

"Uh, thanks, I guess. Let's go then."

Red bolted for the door after letting Pikachu climb to his shoulder. Leaf and Mewtwo followed the boy outside as they meandered through the streets. By the time they reached the house at the northeastern side of Cerulean City, Officer Jenny stood at the front door. Red stepped forward, catching the officer's attention.

"Hey, we heard about the break in," Red said, "is there anything we can do?"

Officer Jenny gave Red a blank stare before she shifted her gaze between Mewtwo and Leaf. The feline psychic Legendary returned that same stare.

"They're my friends," Red gestured to Leaf and Mewtwo, "we wanted to see if we could help."

Officer Jenny nodded as she clasped her hands in front of her.

"The residents are all right," she told them, "so you can ask them any questions. If you find anything suspicious, please let me know."

Red gave Officer Jenny a deep humble bow.

"Yes, ma'am."

Officer Jenny stepped aside, allowing Red to ring the doorbell. Several seconds later, the door opened to reveal a middle-aged man.

"Hi, we wanted to check up on you," Red greeted, "can we help with anything?"

"Why," the man smiled, "thank you for your kindness, sir. Please, come in."

The middle-aged man took a step back, encouraging Red, Leaf and Mewtwo to step through the front door. The trio took a moment to examine the living room and kitchen, grimacing at the mess it was in.

"Oh, yikes," Red muttered, "can we help fix the table or clean up or something?"

Pikachu started scampering around the living room and started sniffing the floor in search of clues. Mewtwo also took a moment to scan his surroundings, examining each furniture such as the table with a missing leg and footprints on the floor.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Red asked while he kept his eyes on Pikachu.

Leaf stood closer to Mewtwo as she swayed her torso side to side.

"Well," the middle-aged woman answered, her eyes locked onto an open vent next to the shelf, "it all started when…something…opened that vent."

Mewtwo didn't say anything as he placed his hand on Leaf's shoulder. Red trudged over to the opened vent and crouched down.

"Pikachu," Red called, "over here."

Pikachu perked his ears up and scampered over to the wall, peering into the vent.

"Piikaaa," Pikachu muttered.

"Picking up anything?" Red asked.

Pikachu sniffed at the vent before he raised his tail.

"What is it, bud? Was it a wild Pokémon?"

Mewtwo focused on Pikachu, ready to translate.

"Pika pika chu pika Pikachu," Pikachu started to explain.

Mewtwo interpreted the Pikachu's speech in his head as his eyes glowed.

"I don't think it was a wild Pokémon," Mewtwo corrected.

Red gave Pikachu a slight nod.

"Ok," Red drawled.

In the meantime, Leaf's eyes wandered until they found a hole in the wall in the living room.

"H-Hey," Leaf stammered, "has…anyone checked that hole in the wall?"

Leaf pointed at the hole to emphasize her point. Upon cue, Red strolled over to the right wall of the living room.

"Yeesh," Red commented, "must've been like a Rhydon or something to bust through this."

Mewtwo made a brief glance at the married couple, who stared at the hole in the wall in disbelief.

"I don't think Team Rocket had a Rhydon," the middle-aged woman told Red, "but they made off with our precious family heirlooms."

"They also took my TM," her husband added.

Mewtwo tensed and scanned the room once again.

"What TM was it?" Mewtwo asked.

The middle-aged man made a brief glance at the psychic Legendary.

"It's called Dig," he answered, "who knows what they even want with it…"

Leaf stiffened before she trudged over to the living room and stopped before the hole in the wall. He followed her carefully, taking caution to not collide with any bits of rock or rubble or wall. Red didn't make a glance at the brunette as he frowned at the wall.

"Do you think they used it on this wall?"

Leaf reached into her bag before she sent out her Squirtle. The tiny turtle made a brief glance at the hole in the wall and got into a battle stance.

"You ready to go, Squirt Squirt?" Leaf chirped.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle started scratching at the floor with his front paws, "Squirt, Squirt, Squirt, Squirt…"

Mewtwo placed his hands on Red and Leaf's shoulders as he peered through the hole.

"Whatever they're planning," Mewtwo told them, "they won't get away with it."

Leaf and Red gave a piercing stare as they followed Mewtwo outside. Pikachu and Squirtle scampered after them. The instant they set foot outside, they laid their eyes on Jessie, James and Meowth as they sorted through stolen items. Pikachu sparked his cheeks as he stopped in his tracks. Meowth's ear twitched and he glanced behind him, spying Pikachu and then the humans.

"Uh-oh."

Jessie and James paused before tilting their heads towards their Meowth.

"Meowth?" James paused.

"We should probably run," Meowth peeped as he grabbed an armful of valuables.

Jessie felt sweat beads form on her forehead as she turned her eyes towards Mewtwo. He tilted his head as he waited for an answer.

"No time for the motto right now!" Jessie barked, "Ekans, you know what to do!"

Ekans hissed and propelled itself into the air before it dug into the ground. Mewtwo tensed and grasped Leaf and Red's shoulders.

"W-What kind of trick is that?!" Leaf demanded.

"With your word," Mewtwo offered, "I can lift you two off the ground."

Leaf made a brief glance at Mewtwo while Red and Pikachu exchanged gazes.

"Pikachu?" Red called.

Pikachu was watching the ground and bracing to jump as soon as he saw the ground crack, kicking away and shocking the Ekans which lay stunned once it impacted with the ground again. Still, the snake Pokémon slowly recovered itself, ready to strike again.


	17. Many Ways to Clean House

With Jessie, James and Meowth unsure of whether to continue their battle or simply drop the stolen goods and run, Squirtle and Pikachu stared them down.

"Let's go…!" Meowth started sneaking away.

James gritted his teeth before grabbing Meowth by the scruff, eliciting a startled yowl out of him as he dropped some of his loot.

"Hey!" Meowth protested, "what's the big idea?! Put me down!"

Mewtwo took a step forward, sending chills down Jessie and James's spines.

"If you return the possessions you stole," Mewtwo demanded, "I'll let you three leave peacefully."

Meowth struggled in James' grip, trying to reach what he dropped before giving up and staring up at Mewtwo. James ignored the Legendary's warning as he sent out his Koffing. Ekans flicked its tongue while Pikachu sparked his cheeks again.

"Piiikaaaa," Pikachu growled.

"We have a task to complete, Meowth! Koffing," James ordered, "use Smokescreen!"

"Ekans," Jessie commanded, "Poison Sting!"

The Ekans spat out spindles of poison towards the two smaller Pokémon, moving towards Pikachu as though figuring out its mistress' intentions. Koffing spewed dark toxic gases out of its protrusions and mouth, spraying it on its targets. The instant the gases reached Mewtwo and the young trainers, Leaf felt her eyes water and a stinging sensation of embers in her throat. Mewtwo pushed the smog away with a barrier in the obscured environment, moving to cover the Pikachu and Squirtle as well. The brunette coughed for a brief moment while the smoke continued to linger.

"Squirtle," Leaf choked, "get 'em with a Water Gun!"

Mewtwo lifted the barrier long enough to let the Squirtle go through with its attack before lowering it again as the smoke cleared, hearing the water spray impact the Koffing. The Ekans readied to dig at Jessie's command again. Meowth climbed James' arm to perch on his shoulders and stared at the barrier.

Just as the smoke dissipated, Mewtwo blinked twice and grimaced when he noticed Ekans wasn't in his sight. Without warning, Pikachu yelped when he felt the ground open up beneath him and the snake Pokémon dragged him down and trapped him in its coils. Red let out a sharp gasp as he scanned his surroundings, tilting his head towards the ground.

"Pikachu!" Red panicked.

Mewtwo scanned around for the mouse, using the barrier to clear the smoke away. Meowth grinned at Red's distraught expression.

"Yes!" Meowth purred quietly.

When Leaf noticed her Squirtle glaring at the hole, she reached into her bag and pulled out a Poké Ball, giving Jessie and James a piercing glare. She quickly sent out her Sandshrew, watching as he stood next to the hole in the ground.

"Sandshrew," Leaf pleaded, "dig after them!"

"Sand!"

Sandshrew studied the hole and quickly burrowed after them, following Pikachu's scent. Ekans' grip on Pikachu tightened when it felt the vibrations of the intruder. Just when the snake Pokémon started making its getaway, the shrew Pokémon kept up his pursuit. Ekans started climbing up the other end and Jessie moved to help pull it out.

"Thank you, Ekans," Jessie praised, patting her snake on the head.

Ekans stuck its forked tongue out while it released Pikachu from its coils. The electric mouse didn't have enough time to react when James reached down and grabbed him by his scruff.

"And where do you think you're going?" James grinned.

Pikachu glared and started to spark his cheeks harder. Meowth moved to swipe at him with his claws out.

"Oh no, you don't!" Meowth threatened.

Without warning, Sandshrew popped out of the hole in the ground, eliciting a startled yelp out of Jessie and James.

"Sandshrew," Leaf called, "use Rollout!"

Sandshrew curled into a ball and started spinning rapidly. Before Jessie and James could react, the shrew Pokémon charged into them, knocking them backwards and causing James to loosen his grip on Pikachu. Meowth dug his claws into James' shoulder to hold on. The electric mouse landed on his feet and sparked his cheeks while he glared at them.

"Piiiikaaaa…"

"Really?" Red snapped, "you guys can't just find a wild Pikachu for yourselves?!"

Pikachu jumped back while Ekans and Sandshrew stared each other down.

"You think we can find a Pikachu like yours in the wild?" James glared back.

Mewtwo narrowed his eyes at them.

"I believe they saw yours feeding Magnemite and believe it's a unique ability or amount of power," Mewtwo spoke into Red's mind.

Leaf shuddered while her Sandshrew tackled into Ekans.

"Creepy," Leaf muttered.

"Quite," Mewtwo agreed, "should I get the stolen goods back inside?"

Pikachu glanced back at Red, cheeks still sparking and charged. Jessie growled while she recalled her Ekans and James recalled his Koffing.

"We didn't want your stupid junk, anyway!" Meowth hissed.

Red turned on his feet and dashed back inside. Mewtwo kept glaring at Jessie, James and Meowth as they started making their getaway. He huffed and used his telekinesis to bring the stolen goods to the group while Red came back and picked some of it up. Officer Jenny emerged from the hole with her Growlithe accompanying her seconds later. He smiled at her and showed her the stolen goods.

"It was Team Rocket," Red explained, "I don't think they took anything when they left."

Jenny and her Growlithe took a moment to inspect the boxes before they let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank Arceus!" she exclaimed, "who knows what kind of trouble they could've brought if they took the TM with them."

Pikachu started cleaning the dirt off himself while he sat next to Red, who knelt down and started combing through his Pokémon's fur to help him out. Leaf smiled and gave her Sandshrew a pat on the head.

"You did great, buddy!" Leaf praised.

"Sand!" Sandshrew chirped.

Leaf recalled her Sandshrew and checked on her Pokémon team. While the married couple emerged from the house to collect their possessions, the brunette trainer reached for her Pokégear. She scrolled to her mom's number and initiated the call.

"H-Hey, mom?" Leaf said.

 _{Oh! Afternoon, sweetie,}_ Kisa replied over the Pokégear, _{how are you doing?}_

"Well," Leaf smiled, "I got my badge from the Cerulean Gym and we're waiting for Gary."

Mewtwo smiled upon hearing her mother's voice and made a mental note that she was on his safe list, silently listening as the natural sounds restored the surrounding ambience. Red helped the couple take their stuff back inside and inquired about helping fix the massive hole.

"Before I head out to Vermilion City," Leaf continued, "I was thinking of swapping in Nidoran. The Cleffa I have with me isn't ready for battles yet."

 _{I see,}_ Kisa agreed over the Pokégear, _{I'm sure your Jigglypuff could babysit Cleffa while Nidoran's away.}_

"Thanks!" Leaf smiled, "Cleffa will be there shortly."

 _{Take care, Leaf,}_ Kisa told her over the Pokégear, _{I'll be sure to send you your Nidoran while you're at it.}_

Once Leaf hung up, she reached into her bag for her PokéBox. She placed a kiss on the Poké Ball holding the Cleffa before she inserted it into the slot. She tapped on the trigger, watching as the device transported the Pokémon. She waited for a few minutes before another Poké Ball appeared in the slot, so she pulled it out and sent out her Nidoran. The female poison pin Pokémon scanned her surroundings and gave Leaf a confused look.

"Hiya, Nidoran!" Leaf smiled and waved her hand, "you wanna tag along?"

"Nido?"

Leaf knelt to the ground and extended her hand. After she waited for a couple moments, the Nidoran skittered up to her and sniffed her hand. Mewtwo smiled, still pleased by the positive interactions between humans and Pokémon. Moments like this warmed his heart, even if he wouldn't admit that to anyone outside of himself. A few more seconds passed before the blue Nidoran smiled and stood on her hind legs. The Nidoran placed her paws in her hand, mostly for balance but almost to show trust. Mewtwo glanced over to them, drawing his tail back up under his cloak.

The middle-aged man pulled out the TM and let out a sigh in relief before he tilted his head towards Red.

"Do you have a moment?"

Red blinked twice before he returned his gaze towards the man.

"Sure," Red nodded, "what is it?"

The middle-aged man started his approach and held out his TM before Red.

"Why're you giving me that?" Red objected, "you seemed upset about losing that most?"

"I suppose you have some Pokémon who could learn Dig?" the man told Red.

"You use it first," Red declined with a smile, "we'll be ok, but thanks, sir."

The middle-aged man sighed before he shifted his attention towards Leaf. She watched as her Squirtle and Nidoran exchanged an affectionate headbutt.

"Excuse me, ma'am," the man called over, "but do you have a Pokémon that would like to learn the Dig move?"

Leaf snapped out of her thoughts while her Nidoran shifted her gaze towards the middle-aged man. The Nidoran's ears twitched as though she recognized the word and scampered over to the stranger.

"Nido Nido!"

Mewtwo couldn't help but smile at the little one's enthusiasm. Leaf blinked twice as the middle-aged man knelt before her Nidoran.

"Well," Leaf commented as she adjusted the strap of her bag, "it seems my Nidoran is interested."

Nidoran sniffed the TM and twitched her ears again, looking to Leaf as though asking permission.

"Go for it, buddy," Leaf smiled.

Nidoran chirped before she stood on her hind legs, encouraging the middle-aged man to press the TM to her snout. Nidoran sniffed as she memorized the move in her head. After a moment of silence passed, the man completed the process and stood to his full height. Nidoran blinked twice and jumped up happily.

"Nido! Nido Nido!"

Nidoran happily skittered over to Leaf, encouraging her to stroke the Pokémon's head with her hand. While the wife carried a box back into the house, Officer Jenny took a moment to stretch her arms.

"I'll take care of everything from here," Jenny told Red.

"Thanks, officer," Red nodded.

Red scooped his Pikachu into his arms while Leaf recalled her Nidoran. Mewtwo led the two young trainers through the hole and they made their way out of the house through the front door. He offered a hand to Leaf to ensure she stepped over safely.

"I'll bet Gary earned his badge by now," Red mused.

Leaf grasped Mewtwo's hand with her Squirtle following close behind. Red scanned his surroundings and noticed a couple police cars nearby. Mewtwo led the way to the Gym, scanning around for any sign of the Rockets. Once they reached the entrance to the Gym, the doors slid open and Gary made his way outside. He paused in his tracks when he spotted his rival to his left.

"Red?" Gary paused.

Pikachu smiled and waved his paw.

"Pika!"

"Did you win your badge?" Red called as he walked over.

Gary grinned as he opened up his badge case and displayed the badges inside.

"Now that Cerulean is out of the way," Gary proclaimed, "you think we could make it to Saffron City before dark?"

Red scratched his head while Leaf lifted her Squirtle into her arms.

"Unlikely," Mewtwo shrugged, "but if you wish, we can try."

Red and Gary stepped away from the Gym entrance and stepped over to the sidewalk. They took a moment to check their inventory. Mewtwo readjusted his tail under his cloak while Squirtle settled into Leaf's arms, gently wagging his tail.

"Uh, Gary," Red paused, "did you bring a sleeping bag?"

Gary paused in his tracks.

"Nah," Gary replied, "did you, dude?"

Mewtwo tilted his head.

"Did you assume you'd have a Center bed to sleep in every night?"

Gary gave Mewtwo a blank stare.

"Geez, Helios," Gary grumbled as he facepalmed, "no need to be a buzzkill!"

Gary started his stroll down the street. Leaf and her Squirtle exchanged confused stares while Red and his Pikachu locked eyes onto Mewtwo and tilted their heads sideways. Leaf sighed and lowered her head.

"I don't have one myself," Leaf admitted.

Mewtwo watched as Gary walked off and looked back to Red.

"Apologies," Mewtwo bowed his head, "the other humans I've seen enjoy spending some nights out in the open, given the vastness of the land between the cities. We can purchase them, perhaps?"

Red nodded with a smile before he took a step forward.

"Well," Red suggested, "we'd better catch up with him."

And with that, Red led Mewtwo and Leaf as they followed Gary down the block until they made their way to the Poké Mart. Once inside, they found the professor's grandson at the aisle displaying assorted camping equipment. Squirtle examined everything, pointing to food related items and giving excited mumbles. Mewtwo picked up and carried a basket for them.

"I'm sure they will, little one," Mewtwo spoke into Squirtle's head.

With Gary picking out sleeping bags, Leaf browsed the tents while Red examined each cooking utensil.

"Hey, Leaf?" Red asked, "did you ask Helios if he ever considered carrying a backpack before?"

Leaf took a moment to think over her question before she shook her head. She paced back and forth while she browsed Itemfinders on a shelf.

"I haven't," Mewtwo admitted, "should I? I wonder if I can carry the heavier items to spare your growing spines."

"It's up to you, buddy," Red shrugged.

Upon cue, Mewtwo shifted his gaze towards the aisle displaying various backpacks on hooks. He took a moment to examine each one while Gary picked out the third sleeping bag for Leaf.

"Which one would you recommend, for what you'll want me carrying?" Mewtwo glanced over to Red's aisle.

After picking out a pot from his aisle, Red returned the gaze and examined the backpacks. Mewtwo spotted a rather large one half the kids' size and picked it out.

"If that works for you," Red agreed, "great."

"We may have to test what fits in here and what doesn't," Mewtwo held it against himself to see how the size compared.

Red observed Mewtwo's demonstration while he browsed other backpack options.

"Gary," Red called over, "you have any suggestions?"

Gary blinked after he finished picking out some pillows before he made his way to the aisle displaying backpacks. It was only seconds later when Leaf showed up with three Itemfinders in her basket. Her Squirtle examined the backpack Mewtwo held before his paws imitated a camera.

"Squirtle Squirt Squirtle," Squirtle mumbled.

"You approve, too?" he grinned at the Squirtle before gazing at Gary and Leaf.

Leaf stepped closer to Mewtwo and held her hand above her head. She even examined the supplies they all gathered during the moment of silence.

"Well," Leaf answered, "I think it should be large enough."

"Yeah," Gary agreed as he brushed some hair strands out of his eyes, "just the right fit for our buddy here."

Leaf took this chance to snag a few Pokémon toys off the shelf and place them into her basket, including a ball and a feather teaser. Feeling confident with his choice for a backpack, Mewtwo led Leaf, Red and Gary over to the food aisles where they collected some ingredients for quick meals fit for a campsite.

"Thank you," Mewtwo smiled, "I'm glad to be of assistance rather than being the mysterious tagalong."

Red nodded while he gave Mewtwo a wink. Now that they had all the supplies they needed, they made their way to the checkout counter.


	18. Underground Pass Terrors

By late afternoon, Leaf, Red, Gary and Mewtwo left Cerulean City and set foot into Route Five. As they strolled by large patches of grass, they watched as Oddishes retreated for the day. Squirtle kept up at a leisurely pace beside his trainer and watched the various birds roosting. Mewtwo glanced to the birds and tilted his head, having a silent telepathic conversation with the starter.

Pikachu strolled alongside Red's Charmander while Gary sauntered alongside his Bulbasaur. Leaf took a moment to document a wild Meowth in her Pokédex before she carried on. Mewtwo sometimes used his tail to cushion his back against the bag as it rattled with every step. During their stroll, Leaf made a brief glance at a building on her left which had a fence spanning to the edge of the nearest patch of grass. When she read the sign above the door, she simply shrugged and continued walking alongside her friends.

They continued their journey down the route until they reached the gate to Saffron City an hour later. Much to their dismay, a 'Closed' sign was plastered onto the doors.

"Dammit," Gary grumbled.

"Interesting," Mewtwo placed his spherical-tipped finger on his chin, "why would a city be shut? Is it quarantined?"

Leaf clasped her hands behind her back while she swung one leg back and forth.

"I-I'm not sure," Red admitted as he placed his hand behind his head, "I really should get a news app for my Pokégear."

"If you'd like," Mewtwo offered, "I could fly over and check."

Gary thought over the question as he scratched his head. In the meantime, Pikachu tilted his head to his left and spotted a small building with a slanted roof. Mewtwo took a moment to fly to the roof of the border gate and scanned his surroundings in search of anything suspicious crawling about the city. Strangely enough, he didn't find any single light in any building of the city. Not even the street lights would come on considering the sun almost finished setting over the horizon. After a moment of silence, the Genetic Pokémon floated back down to the young trainers.

"The city is in a blackout right now," Mewtwo told them.

Red blinked twice.

"I guess the inner gates are locked. Should we go back to Cerulean or do we wanna set up camp?" he looked down when Pikachu tugged on his pants.

"Yeah?" Red turned his gaze to the building that was pointed out, "guess we could camp out in there if it's not trespassing?"

Gary chuckled as he shrugged.

"It's the Underground Pass," Gary reminded, "anyone can use it to get to Vermilion City."

"I guess we're going that way tomorrow then," Red agreed, "let's camp in there."

Upon cue, Mewtwo led the three trainers and their Pokémon towards the entrance to the small building. Once they stepped inside, they descended a flight of stairs leading to a long hallway. Red scanned his surroundings as the dim lights lining the walls barely lit the tunnel.

"This should be fun," Red muttered to himself.

As they started strolling down the tunnel, Leaf stayed close to Mewtwo as she fluttered her hand. Pikachu would exchange glances between Squirtle, Charmander and Bulbasaur as they trotted alongside their trainers. They sniffed at the ground, hoping to find something which would pique their interest. Mewtwo held onto the straps of the backpack now that he didn't have to worry about strangers seeing his hands, ducking his head down slightly. By the time they made it halfway through, they scanned their surroundings, taking note of a door leading to a bathroom stall, before they set down their bags.

"I guess we'll be picking this spot," Red informed.

Mewtwo nodded and put his bag down, rolling the cloak up. Even when the tunnel didn't have enough room for a tent, he still pulled out the sleeping bags and pillows while Red checked the ingredients in his backpack.

"Where would you like me to stay," Mewtwo asked, "so I'm not in the way?"

Red and Gary gave Mewtwo a blank stare while Leaf examined the sleeping bags. The boys struggled to think of a possible suggestion while the young girl stepped over to where the psychic Legendary picked out her sleeping bag and laid it out.

"You can have a spot next to me," Leaf offered, giving Mewtwo a reassuring smile.

Mewtwo gave Leaf a slow nod.

Leaf took this chance to reach her hand forward as she shifted into a kneeling position. Mewtwo carefully took her hand and moved to sit next to her. From there, Red pulled out a package of burger steak, bread and Moomoo cheese.

"Gary," Red reminded, "you did get the trail mix for our Pokémon, right?"

Gary nodded with a grin while he opened his backpack. Mewtwo let his tail lay beside the length of Leaf's sleeping bag, trying to relax. Darting into the bathroom stall, Pikachu jumped up onto the sink and sniffed at the taps.

"So what did you have for dinner tonight?" Gary quipped after pulling out a bag of Pokémon trail mix.

Mewtwo reached for his bag and opened it, using his telekinesis to levitate some equipment out.

"I'm in the mood for using the burger to make sandwiches," Red suggested.

Leaf smiled and fluttered both hands.

"Sure!" she chirped.

"I'd like to taste them," Mewtwo added, "if I may."

Red smiled at Mewtwo before he sent out his Spearow and Paras while Gary sent out his Beedrill and Rattata. While Red started setting up a portable stove, Leaf sent out her Magnemite, Sandshrew, Nidoran, Pidgeotto and Bellsprout. As Squirtle, Charmander and Bulbasaur gathered around their fellow teammates, Gary gave Leaf a blank stare.

"Something you'd like to say?" Mewtwo spoke into Gary's head.

Gary snapped out of his thoughts and locked eyes onto Mewtwo.

"I'm just baffled Leaf has more Pokémon than Red and I do," Gary commented.

"Pika?" Pikachu perked his ears up.

"She's a tactical trainer," Mewtwo tried to explain, "I'm surprised you two don't have full parties."

Gary placed his hand behind his head.

"What do you mean," he blurted, "we're just looking for ones that could suit our team. Right, Red?"

Red set a skillet atop the portable stove.

"Yeah," Red nodded without making a single glance, "I'm more in it to win it and all that."

Leaf retrieved a can of lemonade while Gary pulled out bowls before pouring some trail mix into each one. The brunette checked Mewtwo's bag for a package of salad mix before pouring its contents into one bowl.

"Squirt Squirt!" Leaf called over.

Squirtle perked up and ran over to Leaf's side.

"Squirtle squirtle!"

He sat by the bowl and started eating. Pikachu waited by Gary, ears and tail twitching eagerly. Red started assembling the sandwiches before he placed the first burger on the skillet.

"Are these particular ones not safe to eat raw?" Mewtwo asked.

"Specifically not the meat," Red shook his head.

"Alright. I won't risk my health on your food laws," he sniffed towards them, intrigued by the cooking smell.

Gary, having finished filling the bowls and distributing them among the Pokémon, set off to retrieve bottles of fresh water for himself and Red. He pulled out another bottle of fresh water and locked eyes onto Mewtwo.

"Want this one?" Gary called over.

Mewtwo gazed at Gary while he used his telekinesis to pluck the bottle out of the redhead's hand.

"Thank you," Mewtwo told Gary.

Psychic particles danced in his fingertips as Mewtwo unscrewed the lid and took a sip. A minute later, Red used the spatula to flip the burger onto its other side. As the psychic Legendary watched with intrigue, Leaf blinked twice before she scooted closer to him. Using both hands, she grasped his arm which caught his attention, encouraging him to wrap it behind her back with his hand clutching her right shoulder. His smile remained on his face as he curled his tail until it wrapped around her waist. He'd never expected this much contact with a human but he didn't think it could be so comforting. Squirtle glanced over, smiled with a mouthful of lettuce leaves and continued to eat.

By the time Red finished cooking the first burger, he placed it onto a piece of bread and completed the sandwich before he got to work cooking the next burger. He kept up this procedure over the course of several minutes until he finished cooking the remaining three burgers on the skillet. He proceeded to serve the sandwiches to Leaf, Gary and Mewtwo before he kept one for himself. They all didn't hesitate as they started munching on their sandwiches. Mewtwo followed Leaf's example and glanced at Red.

"Nicely done," Mewtwo spoke into Red's head.

"Thanks," Red nodded as he took a bite out of his sandwich.

He stayed relaxed as he ate, his tail drooping a little. As the psychic Legendary and the three trainers took bites of their sandwiches and took sips of their drinks at intervals, Mewtwo observed their Pokémon as they exchanged chatter while munching on their assorted meals.

After they finished their dinner a while later, the four gathered the equipment and pulled out their pajamas. Leaf, Red and Gary took turns using the nearby bathroom stall to change clothes. Mewtwo packed up the equipment for them and set it aside, moving to lay down and trying not to take up too much space. By the time Leaf emerged from the stall in her pajamas, she reached into her bag and pulled out her Togepi doll before slipping into her sleeping bag.

"I almost wish I had a book to read," Mewtwo spoke into her head.

Leaf smiled as she hugged her Togepi doll closer.

"Maybe we could find a bookstore at some point," Leaf suggested.

"I appreciate the thought," Mewtwo purred.

While Red and Gary settled into their sleeping bags, the Pokémon gathered around their trainers with Pikachu giving his trainer affectionate headbutts. Squirtle lay down between the two and tucked himself into his shell. Mewtwo scanned his surroundings one more time before he settled into his sleeping bag and rested his head onto his pillow. He hadn't slept in a long time, but it would be a better time passer than staring at the ceiling all night.

Little did they know, someone walking in on them would be the least thing to worry about that night.

Hours passed on to late at night when the lights lining the path grew dimmer. The three trainers and their Pokémon were sound asleep. Even if they were blissfully ignorant of the eerie silence, they could consider themselves lucky no one entered the passageway late at night. Yet, Mewtwo's tail was twitching in his sleep and the telekinetic aura surrounded himself. Even in his sleep, he hugged his arms to his chest and breathed heavily.

_He's nothing more than a specimen!_

_You were created by humans to obey humans. You could never be our equal._

As voices echoed in his head, sweat beads started coating his hairless skin. Squirtle woke up as other objects started lifting into the air, brushing and rocking his shell. He peeked out to examine Mewtwo and gave a quiet but concerned noise. Pikachu's ears twitched and he blinked awake, examining everything that glowed in the psychic aura.

"Pika?"

Without warning, the nearby lights started flickering on and off. Red hid his face in the light and started to open his eyes.

"Already?"

Mewtwo, now panting heavily, felt the uncomfortable sensation of machinery restraining him. He couldn't help but see a reflection of himself imprisoned in that…suit of armor. He hated every second it suppressed his power. Seconds later, the camping equipment started levitating into the air.

"Uh, Mewt- Helios?" Red blurted.

Much to Red's dismay, Mewtwo didn't wake up. Pikachu hesitantly got up and went to pat his arm.

"Pika?"

Mewtwo still didn't respond, but without warning, telekinetic auras started to envelop Pikachu and Squirtle and their eyes widened when they levitated into the air.

"Pika Pika!"

Red sat up, peeking over his sleeping bag at his Pikachu's startled cry.

"Mewtwo! Wake up!"

Squirtle attempted to splash water onto his face, but grimaced when he missed. Just as the rest of the Pokémon started levitating into the air, Leaf and Gary slowly opened their eyes.

"Geez, Red," Gary grumbled as he rubbed his eyes, "what's going on?"

Red glanced over his shoulder as Gary wiggled out of his sleeping bag.

"It's Mewtwo," Red answered, "I think something's wrong with him."

"W-Wha…?" Leaf blurted.

When Leaf tilted her head to her right, her eyes widened in shock as Mewtwo shivered and panted heavily. She carefully slipped out of her sleeping bag and crawled over to the psychic Legendary.

"Mewtwo!" Leaf called, "can you hear me? Mewtwo!"

His eyes flew open at her voice, pure white but there seemed to be further reaction to her voice. Somewhere deep inside his brain, the voice jabbed at something…some old murky memory. No time for that now. He had to get to somewhere safe. Mewtwo sat upright and panted heavily, his hand clutching at his chest. Red and Gary shuddered and Leaf covered her ears with her hands when the floating objects dropped and clanged onto the floor, the loud noise echoing across the tunnel. Pikachu scrambled into his trainer's arms, his red cheeks emitting nervous sparks.

"Mewtwo," Red asked, "are you ok?"

Mewtwo took over a minute to calm himself before he shifted his gaze towards the three trainers, reading their worried expressions.

"W-Was it a nightmare?" Leaf stammered.

Mewtwo nodded.

"This," Mewtwo admitted, "is why I don't sleep."

Squirtle blinked twice as he lowered his head.

"Squirtle…"

"Well," Gary drawled, "must've been a close call."

Leaf sighed as she leaned closer to Mewtwo.

"I-If it's not much to ask," Leaf requested, "can I keep you company?"

Mewtwo took a moment to read the brunette's thoughts, understanding what she meant beyond just her words. He blinked twice, taking deeper and calming breaths before giving a nod.

"Perhaps," Mewtwo answered, "you may try if you wish. I'm not sure if I'll sleep again tonight regardless."

He scanned over the Pokémon, confirming they were nothing but shaken by the events. While Leaf slipped into Mewtwo's sleeping bag, Gary ran his hand along his Bulbasaur's head.

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur chirped.

"Yeah," Gary agreed, "might as well go back to sleep."

Pikachu calmed down and curled up in Red's arms. The boys started making their way back to their sleeping bags while Mewtwo wrapped his arms around the young girl. He felt a pang of what could've been guilt.

"Are you going to be warm enough?" he asked her.

"Yup," Leaf nodded with a smile, "especially with you around."

He smiled and gently rested his chin on her hair, sighing quietly. Mewtwo purred as Red and Gary slipped back into their sleeping bags with Pikachu happily asleep in Red's arms. As sleep started to cloud Leaf's eyes, the rest of the Pokémon settled back into their suitable spots with Squirtle nestling next to his trainer and the feline psychic Legendary.

He couldn't help but wonder if he could be welcomed with open arms into Pallet Town.


	19. A Little Fishing Lesson

Once morning rolled in, Leaf, Mewtwo, Red and Gary emerged from the southern entrance to the Underground Path and set foot into Route Six. As they started passing large patches of grass, they took note of a large pond at a distance. The psychic Legendary kept vigilant on their surroundings as the three trainers inspected the nearest large patch of grass. The professor's grandson trudged carefully as he pushed blades of grass aside. It didn't take long for him to uncover an Abra hiding among the grass.

"Oh," he whispered, "so cool!"

Gary quietly reached into his bag and pulled out an empty Poké Ball. The Abra bobbed up and down, clearly undisturbed by the humans' presence. Red watched them and glanced over to Gary's movement while Pikachu crept over to watch. The professor's grandson thought fast and threw the Poké Ball, watching as it bopped on the Abra's head before opening up and absorbing the Pokémon. Gary kept his eyes glued onto the Poké Ball as it dropped to the ground. Leaf, having noticed his attempt to catch the next team member, started to gesture her hand to count with her fingers each time the Poké Ball shook.

Pikachu waved his tail in time with the counting and stood on his tiptoes eagerly. Mewtwo tilted his head, intrigued how he didn't battle it to weaken it first. But he could sense its heightened teleporting power and assumed it wouldn't have given Gary much of a chance. After the third shake, the Poké Ball's release button flashed green. Pikachu bounced up and down, chirping excitedly. Red gave his rival a thumbs up and looked around for something for himself.

Mewtwo smiled and glanced at Leaf, relieved considering the rest of the sleepless night. She didn't do much apart from swaying her torso side to side. Still, she kept her Pokédex in hand as she continued peering through the tall grass.

"Is there anything in particular you're looking for?" Mewtwo asked.

He stopped as his eyes landed on someone sitting by the water's edge, just visible over the top of the grass strands. He narrowed his eyes as he studied the human.

"I-I think I'm covered for now," Leaf fluttered her left hand.

Pikachu took a moment to emerge from the patch of tall grass before he scratched behind his ear with his foot. Red kept his eye on the electric mouse while Mewtwo readjusted his cloak. Gary held the Poké Ball in his hands while he stepped out of the tall grass, his eyes taking in the scenery until he noticed the human near the pond, observing as he reeled something in with a fishing rod. The psychic Legendary folded his arms, amused by the human's struggle with whatever he just caught. When Leaf and Red stepped out of the tall grass, their faces lit up with interest.

"Hey," Red called over as his hands gestured to imitate a megaphone, "got a big one?"

The fisherman managed to finish reeling in, only to grimace at the sight of a Heart Scale caught in the hook.

"Aww," Red pouted, "looked like you were getting something big."

The fisherman sighed as he glanced over his shoulder. He crouched down to pet Pikachu.

"Sorry, I'm probably bothering you."

"N-No, it's fine!" Leaf stuttered as she flapped her hands, "we were just curious, sir!"

Red made a brief glance at Leaf before he took a step forward.

"Well," Red mused, "I always wanted to learn to fish."

The fisherman chuckled as he yanked the Heart Scale off the fishing hook.

"Well, I appreciate the enthusiasm, lad," the fisherman replied, "I'll be happy to teach you a trick or two."

Gary stepped out of the tall grass while Leaf stashed her Pokédex into her messenger bag.

"Thanks, sir," Red nodded, "you wanna try, too, Pikachu?"

Pikachu peered into the water and wagged his tail, seeming to be figure out whether he could use his tail to fish with. Leaf glanced over her shoulder and noticed as a bug catcher scoured the patches of tall grass in search of whatever bug type Pokémon could be crawling in the grass.

"Hey, I have a better idea," Gary suggested while he raised his hand, "why don't we hold a fishing contest?"

Leaf shook her head and took a step back.

"I'll pass," she declined.

"I'll go for it," Red grinned.

Mewtwo placed his hand on Leaf's shoulder while Red and Gary approached the fisherman. She reached in and pulled out her Itemfinder.

"You think we'll find anything interesting with this?" she suggested.

"I do," Mewtwo answered, "there's bound to be something around here."

Leaf flipped on the Itemfinder's tiny switch and held it out in front of her with both hands, keeping her eyes locked onto the device's pair of antennae. Mewtwo made a brief glance at the antennae, but he kept watch of the horizon ahead of them. After a moment of silence, the device beeped and the antennae swiveled right, compelling both Leaf and Mewtwo to turn in that direction. As they strolled through the tall grass, they slipped past the occasional Oddish, allowing them to go on their merry way. Even when the device beeped at intervals, the brunette shifted her gaze between the screen and her surroundings. Several more steps and the device started beeping more rapidly, the antennae swiveling left.

"Getting warmer," Leaf said to herself.

Mewtwo examining the grass, determined to see if he could find any form of unevenness in the grass where the object might be hiding. He soon pointed to a spot nearby, so Leaf crouched into the ground and dug into the soil with one hand. She reached in and pulled out a marble.

"Sweet!" she chirped.

Leaf made a brief glance to her left and watched as Red and Gary each held a fishing rod in their hands. Mewtwo bent closer to examine the pretty orb.

"What is this?" Mewtwo asked her, "it looks too small to be a weapon."

"It's a marble," Leaf answered.

"So what's the purpose of a marble?" Mewtwo inquired.

"They're really great toys," Leaf added, "I gotta get a bag to store them once we get to Vermilion City."

"Perhaps there are more around here?" Mewtwo nodded in agreement.

Shortly after he cast his fishing rod, Red stared intensely at his bobber, waiting for it to sink. Leaf proceeded to use the fabric of her sleeveless tunic to wipe the dirt off the marble. Shortly after she stashed it into her pocket, she and Mewtwo continued their stroll through the tall grass. Out of the corner of her eyes, she spotted a picnicker trainer as she stood in anticipation as a Poké Ball shook on the ground.

"Come on," the picnicker said to herself, "come on, come on…"

Without warning, an Oddish burst free from the Poké Ball, shattering it before it skittered off much to the picnicker trainer's dismay.

"Awww!" the picnicker whined, "I was so close!"

Leaf didn't bother to say anything, not wanting to risk agitating the picnicker's anger. Instead, she simply rocked side to side. Before long, the picnicker trainer glanced over her shoulder and locked eyes onto the brunette and the Genetic Pokémon.

"Excuse me," the picnicker called over, "I need to blow off some steam. You up for a battle?"

Leaf snapped out of her thoughts and stashed her Itemfinder into her bag.

"I don't have anything better to do," Leaf admitted with a shrug, "so…"

The picnicker nodded just as she pulled out a Poké Ball and sent out her Rattata. Leaf responded by sending out her Bellsprout. Mewtwo stepped back and watched them with her Squirtle who sat and shouted with encouragement. Bellsprout stretched and swayed slightly, watching the purple rodent.

"Rattata," the picnicker commanded, "Tackle!"

"Dodge it!" Leaf countered.

The Rattata charged after the Bellsprout, only for the plant Pokémon to jump out of the way.

"Now use Vine Whip!"

Bellsprout waved his leaves forward, sending vines to emerge from the stems, trying to slash at the rat-like.

"Sprout!"

Even with Rattata dodging, Bellsprout still kept swinging his vines. After several tries, one vine slammed into the purple rodent hard. Bellsprout didn't hesitate to wrap his vine around Rattata before swinging it into the air. The picnicker winced as the tiny plant Pokémon then slammed her purple rodent into the ground.

Mewtwo eyed the Rattata carefully before it plopped onto its belly. The picnicker huffed before she recalled her Rattata and sent out a Pikachu. Leaf took a brief glance at the next opponent before she recalled her Bellsprout.

"Go, Sandshrew!"

Leaf tossed the correlating Poké Ball and watched it open up, the white energy particles forming into Sandshrew as he landed on his feet. Strangely enough, the picnicker stared in disbelief.

"A-A ground type?" she warbled.

Leaf fluttered her hand as she avoided gazing into the picnicker's eyes.

"Your Pikachu has a Plan B, right?" Leaf blurted.

The picnicker clenched her fists.

"Pikachu," she ordered, "Quick Attack!"

The Pikachu positioned itself before it started charging after the Sandshrew, ramming into the ground Pokémon and sending it flying. Leaf's breath quickened but before she could panic, her Sandshrew recovered himself and landed on his feet.

"Ok," Leaf commanded, "use Dig!"

Sandshrew burrowed into the ground, listening for the Pikachu's heartbeat above him. Once he heard it he quickly shredded the dirt and soil between his claws, rushing up towards the Pikachu and aiming to attack with either his claws or solid rounded head. Perhaps some specks would get in the mouse's eyes and help give him an advantage. When he emerged from a newly formed hole, the shrew Pokémon tackled into the electric mouse.

This sent the Pikachu flying and it squealed as it impacted back on the ground. Sandshrew simply landed nimbly and shook the specks of the underground off his scales, waiting for his opponent to get up. The electric mouse staggered before it plopped onto its belly. In a brief moment of silence, the picnicker trainer fidgeted nervously as she kept her eyes locked onto her Pikachu. Sandshrew peered carefully, swaying side to side quickly ever so slightly to be ready to move should it be a ploy. Seconds later, Pikachu pushed itself to its feet.

"All right!" the picnicker cheered, "try again, Pikachu!"

Pikachu scratched at the ground with its front paws before it charged at the Sandshrew.

"Sand Attack!" Leaf instructed.

Upon cue, Sandshrew used his foot to kick up sand before spraying it at the incoming Pikachu. The electric mouse reeled back and squeaked the instant it got sand in its eyes. It gave a confident snort and swayed back and forth again, waiting in case it tried charging one more time.

"Now use Rollout!"

Sandshrew curled into a ball and rolled across the ground, speeding up along the way. Before the Pikachu could react, its opponent rammed into it. He turned, following his opponent's trajectory, spraying up dirt and aimed at it again. Still rolling along the ground, he collided into the electric mouse again, sending it flying before it crashed down onto the ground. The opposing Pikachu sighed before it passed out onto the ground. The picnicker stared in disbelief before she recalled her Pokémon.

"Geez," the picnicker groaned, "are you some sort of mind reader?!"

Before Leaf could respond, the picnicker pushed past her as she stormed off. The brunette managed to retain balance in her feet before she and Mewtwo exchanged confused looks. After a moment of silence, they returned their gaze to Red and Gary. Without warning, the professor's grandson gasped as something tugged at the bobber.

"Hey, Red!" Gary exclaimed happily, "I got something!"

Red gave a blank stare while his Pikachu perked up his ears.

"Well, go on," Red beckoned, "reel it in!"

Gary nodded before he started reeling in his potential catch. The next thing the boys knew, they watched as the fishing line dragged a Magikarp out of the water.

"R-Really?!" Red exclaimed, "a Magikarp?!"

While Red stared in disbelief, Gary grinned before he reached for an empty Poké Ball.

"Oh, I'm catching this one!"

Mewtwo nodded in agreement, tilting his head with intrigue.

"Interesting choice for a teammate," he mused.

Gary scoffed before he tossed the Poké Ball at the Magikarp, watching as it absorbed the fish and the dropped to the edge of the water. While the professor's grandson and his rival fixated on the shaking ball, Pikachu kept his eyes locked onto the bobber from his trainer's fishing rod. Red's eyes darted between the bobber and the Poké Ball. Seconds later, the ball's release button flashed a green color as it stopped shaking. Gary smiled and picked up the Poké Ball. Red shrugged and looked back to his bobber.

"Whatever floats your boat, dude," Red drawled.

Moments later, something tugged at Red's bobber, so he thought fast and reeled in his catch. It didn't take long for a Poliwag to emerge from the water.

"Pika!" Pikachu chirped happily.

"Ha! Yes, this is a good one!" he tried to yank it to the shore and scrambled on his belt for an empty Poké Ball, "Pikachu, you wanna fight it?"

Pikachu nodded as he shifted into a battle stance. Smiling, Leaf casually flapped her hands.

"Cutest Poliwag ever!" Leaf chirped to herself.

Leaf reached into her messenger bag and pulled out her Pokédex before she turned it on and held it before Red's catch.

_{Poliwag, the Tadpole Pokémon. Its tail makes it a strong swimmer despite is lack of arms. Its newly grown legs prevent it from walking well, thus it prefers swimming over walking. A part of its internal organs can be seen through the skin as a spiral pattern.}_

"Thanks, Leaf!" Red glanced over his shoulder, "Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

Pikachu didn't hesitate as he charged into the Poliwag, sending it crashing into the ground. They watched carefully as the tadpole wiggled its legs in its useless attempt to get back up.

"Poké Ball," Red called out, "go!"

Red tossed the Poké Ball at the Poliwag, watching as it captured the tadpole before it dropped on the ground. Leaf gestured her hand to count to three while the ball shook. After the third shake, the release button flashed green.

"Yes!" Red grinned as he raised his fist into the air, "we're gonna have to battle them sometime, huh, Gary?"

"Sure," Gary shrugged, "before we take on the Vermilion Gym, that is."

"Should we start training for that? I mean Leaf'll have no problem with her Sandshrew."

While they would take the time to think over the question, Red and Gary picked up the fishing rods they borrowed and held them out to the fisherman.

"Thank you for the fishing lesson, sir," Red and Gary said in unison.

The fisherman gave them a blank stare before he chuckled.

"Oh, you're welcome," he prattled on, "but you can keep those fishing rods. I had an excess of them in my closet for a while. Speaking of which…"

The fisherman reached for another fishing rod before he held it out to the boys.

"Maybe your girl can have this one," he suggested, "she could get a use out of it once you show her the ropes."

Leaf couldn't help but stammer while Mewtwo smiled.

"Uh, sure," she blurted, "why not?"

"Perhaps you can show me as well?" Mewtwo spoke into the boys' minds.

Red stepped over to the fisherman, taking the extra fishing rod out of his hands.

"Thank you, sir," Red added, "she's her own girl, though."

Leaf withdrew her Sandshrew and accepted the fishing rod from Red.

"You kids take care," the fisherman waved his hand with a smile.


	20. Books a Vermilion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, since it's around the start of April, I will gladly say Happy Autism Acceptance Month! I recommend wearing red or gold instead of blue to stand in solidarity with autistic people across the globe. Autism Speaks deserves no support whatsoever because their agenda is absolutely no good.
> 
> Anyways, I'm almost finished catching up with SaoirseParisa's Pokémon: A Marvelous Journey Johto Arc, and I'm enjoying the plot points, the characters and all the twists that come in every now and then. I just gotta thoroughly read the latest chapter.

Leaf, Red, Gary and Mewtwo spent the next few hours traveling the route, with the trainers taking turns challenging other trainers to battle passing by. The instant they set foot into Vermilion City, the three trainers stopped in their tracks and took a moment to stretch their limbs. After stretching her arms, Leaf swayed her torso side to side. Red cradled Pikachu in his arms while he scratched behind his ears. Pikachu melted slightly at the sensation, purring quietly. Mewtwo took a deep breath of the salty air, remembering the moment with Leaf on the hill and starting to relax again.

"Should we locate the Center," Red asked, "get a room booked?"

"Sure," Gary nodded and folded his arms, "after that, we get to explore the city."

Thus, they made a quick trip to the Pokémon Center to heal up their Pokémon at the counter. After lunch, they stepped outside. Gary let out a startled yelp as a punk trainer pushed past him, sprinting as if he was almost in a hurry.

"Ok," Gary griped, "what was that all about?!"

Gary faced the others and noticed as Leaf, Mewtwo and Red gave him confused stares. The psychic Legendary perked his head up when he heard distant squeals of joy to his right. Red and Gary followed the Pokémon's gaze and stared with blank expressions as a large crowd gathered around three teenagers. Leaf moaned softly the instantly she recognized Eloise waving her hand with a grin, bearing her pearly white teeth. The fans waiting in line ranged from young to old, male and female, even the average teenage girl swooned whenever they caught a glimpse of her. On both sides of the line stood stands displaying personalized pamphlets available for anyone eager to learn more about the beauty pageant of the Kalos region.

"I…didn't realize there was a celebrity meet and greet going on," Red muttered.

Mewtwo narrowed his eyes and stood in front of Leaf, blocking her view of her bullies while her hands pressed more tightly against her ears. Yet, even that action wasn't enough to drown out the enthusiastic squeals completely.

"Let's move on. I'm sure they won't bother us," Mewtwo suggested, "I'm surprised my projections of her misdeeds didn't reach this far."

Leaf nodded sheepishly as she glanced over her shoulder, her eyes locked onto a bookstore a couple blocks away. She turned on her feet and dashed down the street. The sooner she could escape the overwhelming noise, the better. It was all Mewtwo could do to focus on walking quickly instead of lifting off enough to fly after her in order to keep up. He did cheat slightly to use his telekinesis to open the doors ahead for her, allowing her to keep her hands to her ears until she was within the silencing environment. Red ran after the two of them until he found them in the reception area of the store.

"Are you ok?"

Leaf shifted her gaze towards Red as she panted and her hands perched on her thighs, still not gazing into the boy's eyes.

"I-I'm fine," Leaf stammered, "I-I just don't trust that girl."

Pikachu twitched his ears before they drooped slightly.

"Piikaaa…" Pikachu let out a worried squeak.

Just then, Gary stepped through the door and caught up to them. Mewtwo glared at the door until it shut quickly, and then he started scanning his surroundings.

"Were you looking for anything particular in here?" Mewtwo asked her, "or would you like to wander around?"

With the noise from the outdoors blocked out, Leaf removed her hands from her ears.

"Maybe," she stammered, "maybe we can just…have a look around and find any titles you want."

"I would appreciate something to read at night," Mewtwo agreed, "to substitute for sleeping."

Mewtwo started browsing the shelves, making sure the hood stayed up while he tilted his head sideways to read the titles.

"Why do humans insist on piling or writing these sideways?"

Red chuckled as he placed his hand behind his head.

"Beats me," he quipped.

Leaf browsed another shelf across the one Red and Gary were, examining each manga title even when none of them piqued her interest. Mewtwo pulled out a book after a few minutes of searching and carefully flipped through it. When he closed the book, he examined the title _Clash of the Weather Trio_ engraved on the front cover. Underneath the title, he noticed three rare Pokémon stylized in a form of tribal art and arranged in a triangle.

"Leaf," Mewtwo called out with his telepathy, "do you recognize these Pokémon?"

Leaf paused in her tracks and glanced over her shoulder. She stepped back over to Mewtwo just as he angled the book, allowing her to examine the front cover.

"I think I recognize Rayquaza," she answered, pointing to the Pokémon image just beneath the title.

He nodded and scanned the first few pages for any explanation on the dragon-like Pokémon.

"Intriguing. Thank you."

Mewtwo held the book in one hand while he kept exploring the store, browsing more shelves with the three trainers following close behind. The psychic Legendary picked out another title _20,000 Leagues Under the Sea_ while Red and his Pikachu browsed some picture books at another shelf. Leaf strolled alongside the Genetic Pokémon until she laid her eyes on a particular book. When she pulled it off the shelf, she read the book's title _The Squirtle Squad_. Thoughts swam in her head in a moment of silence. Mewtwo flipped through the book in his hands before shifting his glace towards Leaf. He waited for her to react before assuming it was safe to speak.

"Helios," Leaf asked, "you think Squirtle would love this?"

Mewtwo blinked as Leaf gestured to the title of the book in her hands. The psychic Legendary took note of the artwork of an ensemble of several Squirtles.

"I'm sure he would," Mewtwo nodded.

Leaf smiled as she clutched the book to her chest. Once the trainers and their Legendary companion finished browsing the bookstore, they made their way to the counter and paid for the books they picked out. Shortly after they left the bookstore, they stepped out into the patio, where Leaf and Mewtwo settled at a bench, taking caution to not disturb the flock of Pidgeys as they foraged the pavement for leftover crumbs. While Red and Gary stepped over to the makeshift battlefield and took a few moments to stretch their limbs, the brunette brought out her Squirtle and her TM Case.

"Squirt Squirt," Leaf chirped, "wanna try out this TM? Squirt Squirt?"

Squirtle examined as Leaf pulled out a TM labeled Water Pulse, blinking twice and tilting his head sideways.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle chirruped happily.

Leaf smiled and tilted her head sideways.

"Ok," she replied, "one Water Pulse coming right up!"

Squirtle tilted his head upwards just as Leaf tapped the TM onto his head. Mewtwo smiled and turned his eyes to the book he had briefly, attention snatched by the warm up chant Pikachu started doing to himself, stretching and hopping from foot to foot. As Squirtle committed the new move into memory, Gary sent out his Beedrill.

"Pikachu, you ready?" Red called over.

"Pika!" Pikachu chirped before pouncing into a battle stance.

Mewtwo smiled and glanced in the direction of the crowd again before diverting his hearing concentration between the two and reading silently, somehow never losing focus. Mewtwo looked around every now and then, enjoying the book on the mythical Pokémon. Human creativity continued to fascinate him. He also kept an ear out for Eloise's group, ready to defend Leaf again should he need to. In the meantime, Squirtle finished memorizing the new move, so Leaf put the TM back into its case. As Squirtle sat next to his trainer, Gary's Beedrill readied its stingers.

"Get him with a Fury Attack!" Gary ordered.

Beedrill's wings flapped rapidly as it charged after Pikachu. The electric mouse thought fast and leapt out of the way. Squirtle, still gazing at the battle in his sight, let out an enthusiastic chirp.

"Thundershock!"

"Pika-Chuuuuu!" lightning sparked from Pikachu's cheeks, arching towards the giant bug.

The lightning struck Beedrill, enveloping it in an electric field which stopped it in its tracks. Once the lightning dissipated, the insect Pokémon stiffened midair. Gary stared as static sparks impeded his Beedrill's movement. Pikachu smirked and waved his tail.

"O-Ok, Beedrill," Gary clamored, "let's get him with a Pursuit!"

"Drill!" Beedrill readied its stingers.

Beedrill started pursuing Pikachu again, but it moved much more slowly. The electric mouse watched the insect's movement while he jumped to the side. Leaf and Mewtwo watched carefully as Beedrill perched onto the ground in an effort to catch its breath.

"Crap," Gary groaned.

Red couldn't help but grin even when he maintained his composture.

"Ok, Pikachu," Red commanded, "Quick Attack!"

"Pika!"

Pikachu darted forward and rammed into the Beedrill, sending it flying backwards before it crashed into the ground. Gary stared in disbelief as his insect Pokémon plopped its head to the ground.

"W-Wow," Gary stammered, "I say your Pikachu's really strong."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu chirped as he took a bow.

Gary sighed as he withdrew his Beedrill while Pikachu skittered out of the battlefield.

"Ok then," Gary said, "I choose Rattata!"

Gary sent out his Rattata while Red sent out his Spearow. The Spearow preened a feather quickly before looking to the Rattata, turning his head to examine it.

"Row?"

"Heya, Spearow!" Red smiled, "ready for a battle?"

Spearow lifted its head up high and spread its wings. Likewise, Gary's Rattata scratched at the ground. Leaf and Mewtwo watched as Spearow and Rattata scratched, tackled and gnawed at one another until the purple rat was unable to battle. Next, Gary sent out his Magikarp which Pikachu was easily able to take out, much to the professor's grandson's chagrin. After that, Gary sent out his Abra into battle, who endured much of the fight, going so far as to take out Red's Spearow, Poliwag and Paras before Pikachu gained the upper hand against his opponent. Finally, Gary switched to his Bulbasaur, so Red responded by sending out his Charmander.

"Charrr," Charmander growled.

"Come on, Bulbasaur," Gary ordered, "let's use Vine Whip!"

"Saur!"

Bulbasaur readied its vines and started swinging them at its opponent.

"Dodge," Red commanded, "and use Fire Fang!"

Charmander dodged a vine before it opened its mouth, its teeth setting themselves on fire. The fire lizard then charged after Bulbasaur.

"Take Down!" Gary said.

"Huh?" Red paused.

Scratching at the ground for a brief moment, Bulbasaur charged at Charmander and rammed into it. The fire lizard was sent flying before it crashed into the ground, though the grassy reptile recoiled in pain, taking a couple steps backward. Red gritted his teeth as Charmander staggered back to its feet.

"Charmander," Red called, "you ok?"

"Char!" Charmander nodded.

Likewise, Bulbasaur snapped out of its trance and narrowed its eyes at its opponent.

"Leech Seed!" Gary shouted.

"Ember!" Red instructed.

Bulbasaur prepared its back bulb with the intent to launch its seeds, but then Charmander spewed out a flurry of flames which scorched the Seed Pokémon. Once the flames dissipated seconds later, Gary stared in disbelief as Bulbasaur collapsed onto the ground.

"Well," Gary shrugged before he pointed his finger at Red, "looks like you won this round. But don't get too smug, buddy!"

Red smiled as they both withdrew their starters back into their Poké Balls. They tilted their heads to their left, only to notice the crowd was gone.

"About time!" Gary sighed, "that crowd sure was loud."

Red chuckled as he scratched his head underneath his cap.

"I didn't have any questions for that girl, anyways," Red shrugged, "wanna head over to the Pokémon Center?"

Gary nodded before he waved his hand at Leaf and Mewtwo, encouraging them to stand from their seats. Leaf withdrew her Squirtle into his Poké Ball while Pikachu climbed onto Red's shoulder. From there, the trainers and the psychic Legendary left the bookstore and started strolling down the street.

"Doesn't this Gym Leader use," Leaf stammered, "electric type Pokémon?"

Gary felt chills trickle down his spine while Red chuckled softly.

"Yeah," Red replied, "maybe we can check out Diglett's Cave tomorrow?"

Mewtwo nodded.

"I would keep away from that girl, if she doesn't keep away from the two of us, at any rate," he told Red in his telepathy, "we've encountered her before. She's…really unpleasant, is the best way I can describe her."

He couldn't help but watch the memory of how their Pokémon treated Leaf the last time they met. She huddled close to Mewtwo, allowing him to wrap his arm around her. They were just passing by the trio of rich kids when Eloise laid her eyes on Gary.

"Oh, are you wanting an autograph?" Eloise called over, "I'm afraid the meet and greet is over."

When Red, Gary, Leaf and Mewtwo paused in their tracks, the psychic Legendary glared at Eloise. The professor's grandson huffed and folded his arms.

"Nah, that's fine," Gary remarked, "we have better things to do around here."

During a moment of silence, the Kalosian beauty pageant gazed at Gary's face before her eyes widened, seeming to sparkle.

"Oh my goshies!" Eloise let out an excited squeal, "you're the grandson of the famous Professor Oak! I wanted to meet you for so long!"

Leaf flinched as Eloise's loud shrill voice pierced her eardrums like daggers, so she covered her ears with both hands. Gary chuckled nervously and placed his hand behind his head.

"Well," he stammered, "nice to meet you, miss."

Eloise took one step forward with elegant stride and placed her hand on her chest, holding her head up high.

"My name is Eloise Suzanne Flora Prudence Labelle," she greeted while giving a curtsy, "and I'm the marvelous princess of Kalosian beauty!"

Leaf grimaced softly and turned her head away, not wanting to make a glance at the girl's dazzling purple eyes. Pikachu tilted his head sideways and gave Red a confused look.

"Ehh, that's nice," Red shrugged, "but we'd better get going."

Red started strolling past Eloise, Blake and Omari with Leaf, Gary and Mewtwo following close behind. The professor's grandson only made it two steps away from the trio of rich kids when all of a sudden, Eloise reached forward and grabbed his upper arm, eliciting a startled yelp out of him.

"Hey!" Gary exclaimed, "what are you doing?!"

Eloise only responded with a smirk.

"Where do you think you're going, darling?" she cooed, "you gotta meet my daddy! He'll be so thrilled when he sees you!"

"Why would he want to meet _**me**_ , anyway?" Gary demanded, "I have Gym battles to train up for!"

Eloise yanked Gary backwards, and another startled yelp caused Red, Leaf and Mewtwo to stop in their tracks. When they turned around, Pikachu narrowed his eyes at Eloise as he sparked his cheeks.

"Piiikaaa," Pikachu growled.

"Hey!" Gary snapped as he flailed his free arm, "lemme go!"

"Now, now, Gary," Eloise chided as she wagged one finger, "we can't miss the greatest cruise ever! We also gotta plan our biggest extravagant wedding day!"

Red sprinted forward in an attempt to pursue them, only for Blake and Omari to block his path.

"What do you mean wedding day?" Red objected, "you barely know him, and he has better things to do!"

Mewtwo almost hoped she would see him and back off. He turned to face Leaf instead as he started to continue to walk her away from the scene, concerned by her pain. By then, the rich kid trio and Gary were already gone.

"Should I deal with her while the rest of you move to the Center?"

Much to Mewtwo's surprise, Leaf shook her head as she stopped in her tracks.

"No," Leaf insisted, "I-I know I'm scared of her, but…I can't just let her do anything bad to my friends, not like this!"

Leaf lifted her head and stared into Mewtwo's eyes.

"We gotta save him," Leaf added, "before the ship leaves!"


	21. Storming the S.S. Anne

Worried of what might become of Gary, Mewtwo led Red and Leaf as they rushed to the docks at the coast of Vermilion City. As they gazed at the S.S. Anne floating next to one port, the brunette held onto the tickets in her hands. Pikachu sniffed the ocean scent carried by the breeze while his trainer shifted his gaze towards the display on the side, which labeled each current vessel and its matching departure and arrival time.

"Hey, Red?" Leaf stammered, "I got these tickets to get aboard the ship."

Red placed his hand behind his head.

"Thanks," Red replied, "but I'm not sure how we can get Helios aboard the ship."

Red tilted his head towards Mewtwo.

"Any ideas?" he asked.

Mewtwo thought over the question in a moment of silence as he examined the cruise ship in all its glory. He made a brief glance at the brunette and smiled softly.

"I can find another way onto the ship on my own," he reassured her, "I'm used to hiding. You two be casual and I'll let you know where I am. I'm ready when you are."

Mewtwo already started to search for people around them, ready to take flight. Pikachu grinned and gave Mewtwo a salute.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu chirped.

Red nodded at Mewtwo.

"Ok, good luck," he said.

Leaf and Red watched as Mewtwo lifted off into the air. After a moment of silence, the two trainers continued their stroll down the dock. Leaf flapped her hands nervously as she followed Red close behind. They stopped just in front of a sailor who stood near the pillars on both sides of the dock.

"Welcome to the S.S. Anne," he greeted, "do you young fellows have tickets?"

Red and Leaf didn't say anything as they flashed their tickets to the sailor. The sailor examined them in a moment of silence before he placed his hands on his hips and let out a humble guffaw.

"Yup," he said, "that'll do, welcome aboard."

The sailor gestured to the boardwalk leading to the ship.

"Thank you, sir," Red gave the sailor a deep respectful bow.

After Leaf imitated Red's gesture, they both made their way to the edge of the dock. The girl shook nervously as they started crossing the boardwalk, so the boy resorted to holding onto her hand in an attempt to ease her anxiety. By the time they hopped onto the ship and pushed through the door, they started meandering down the hallway, stopping in the middle of an intersection where the hall split into two opposing directions.

"Pikachu," Red asked, "you think you can sniff him out?"

"Pika!"

Pikachu hopped off of Red's shoulder and started sniffing at the floor. The electric mouse tilted his head to the right and pointed his paw in that direction. Upon cue, Red and Leaf followed him after turning at a corner. Leaf paused in her tracks when a nearby door opened up and a beauty trainer emerged from the room to her right. The autistic trainer noticed a Yamper following her close behind. The electric puppy let out an excited bark before it rushed towards Leaf and stood on its hind legs, perching its paws on her legs which elicited a startled yelp out of her. Red and Pikachu paused in their tracks and glanced behind them while the beauty trainer chuckled.

"Sorry about that, dear," she said, "my Yamper loves saying hello to people."

The beauty trainer extended her arm and made kissing sounds.

"Yamper!" she called over, "here, girl!"

Yamper perked its ears before swiveling its head towards its trainer. It immediately scampered over to her while panting and wagging its lightning bolt tail. The beauty trainer smiled and stroked her Yamper's head before she shifted her gaze towards Red and Leaf.

"Are you two trainers?" she asked them.

Leaf didn't say anything as she waddled over to Red.

"Yeah," he nodded, "wanna battle us?"

The beauty trainer chuckled as she shook her head.

"Oh, no thank you," she politely declined, pointing her finger at a staircase, "if you're here for the exclusive trainer party, it's hosted on the deck. Just take the stairs over there and make your way to the third floor hallway. It's easy to find, right?"

Leaf nodded sheepishly.

"Uhh, thanks," Leaf stammered as she fluttered her hands, "ma'am."

"Anytime," the beauty trainer smiled, "now if you'll excuse me, my Yamper and I'll be taking a walk."

The beauty trainer strolled down the hallway, leaving Red to make a brief glance at Leaf and shrug. He led her and Pikachu towards the stairs leading to the second floor. Once they ascended the stairs, they turned to their left, noticing another staircase at a corner. When they started strolling down the hallway, they passed by a sailor with a Wingull perched on his shoulder. Pikachu perked up his ears and swiveled his head towards the sea bird.

"Pika?" Pikachu called out, "Pikachu?"

"Gull!" Wingull stretched out its wings.

Red paused in his tracks the instant he noticed his Pikachu starting a small conversation with the Wingull. The sailor glanced down at the Pikachu, not bothering to say anything.

"Uh, Pikachu?" Red paused.

Pikachu waved his paw before he skittered back to his trainer. He led Red and Leaf as they made their way up the stairs. They sprinted down the hallway before they stopped at the door. From the other side of the door, they heard laughter and mundane conversations from outside. Fluttering her hands, Leaf examined the sign posted on the door.

"Oh," Leaf muttered, "she…sure was right about that party…"

"You think?" Red gave Leaf a confused stare.

Leaf nodded nervously before she pushed the door open. The instant they stepped out onto the deck, Red stared in disbelief as Gary stood next to Eloise, who clutched onto his wrist in her vice-like grip. The professor's grandson blushed in sheer embarrassment as he stood in a pair of black slacks, a white dress shirt, a green necktie, a tan waistcoat and a black blazer. His hair had been combed sideways and Pikachu swore he could smell some strange flowery cologne from a distance.

Leaf wasn't surprised to see Eloise bearing her pearly white teeth with her smile. It didn't even surprise the brunette to see the young pageant carrying her shiny Eevee in her left arm while she flaunted her frilly white party dress with pride. The music blaring from the speakers was enough for Leaf to shudder in discomfort. She now found herself wanting to know if Eloise had any other Pokémon so she could challenge her without Blake or Omari interfering. Mewtwo managed to hide behind a corner at the deck, somehow unnoticed but having laid his eyes on the couple, and Leaf and Red beyond them.

"I see you, Leaf," Mewtwo spoke into her head, "I know you're uncomfortable. Look to your left, beyond everyone else."

Pikachu crinkled and wiped his nose as he watched Gary before looking up at Red. Leaf tilted her head to her left while Red examined the middle-aged man in an expensive formal suit standing next to the pageant and the professor's grandson. He gave a pleasant smile as he offered his hand.

"Hello, Mr. Gary Oak," he greeted, "my name is Mr. Bartholomew Labelle, founder of Labelle Enterprises."

Gary reluctantly shook Bartholomew's hand.

"Uh," Gary stammered, "n-nice to meet you, sir."

Mewtwo briefly flashed his purple eyes in the shadow of the hood, making sure no one else saw it. Pikachu looked over to the flash and tugged on Red's pants leg.

"Pikapi," Pikachu chirped, "Pika Pika!"

"Oh?" Red blurted.

Red took a moment to glance to his left before he focused his eyes on Leaf.

"Leaf," Red asked, "you have any ideas?"

Leaf rocked from side to side as she thought of the question. In the meantime, Gary removed his hand and locked eyes onto Red and Leaf.

"When's this party going to be over?" Gary asked, "I have a journey to continue, you know."

"Oh, come now, Gary," Bartholomew guffawed, "I just met you. We have yet to discuss all the workings of my company. Surely, you'd be so eager to inherit it once I retire, right?"

Gary grumbled as he tilted his head sideways, not bothering to look at Eloise's face.

"Besides," he added, "you don't want to make my treasured daughter cry, do you?"

"No offense, but you can't just expect me to fall in love with her within minutes, let alone weeks," Gary objected, "that's _**not**_ how romance works!"

Eloise giggled with a smirk.

"Yes, it does," Eloise sang.

Leaf groaned softly and clenched her fists. She tilted her head to her left and started coming up with a plan in her head. She hoped Mewtwo would read her mind long enough to help her put it into action. Soon enough, she heard rustling as the hooded figure emerged from hiding, so she took the hint and trudged forward.

"Ellie!" Leaf called out.

Eloise paused in her tracks and glared at Leaf.

"You're not supposed to be here, Leaftard!" Eloise snapped, "you're not invited!"

Leaf thought fast and pulled out her ticket, flashing it before the pageant.

"Let go of Gary this instant!" Leaf demanded.

Eloise shook her head.

"Never," Eloise stuck her tongue out at Leaf, "he's mine."

"You either let him go," Leaf insisted, stashing her ticket into her bag, "or you battle with me! And…don't you dare ask Blake or Omari to do it for you!"

Eloise shifted her gaze towards Mewtwo as he stood next to Leaf, still concealed in his cloak with his hood covering his head. Not surprisingly, Bartholomew shifted his attention towards the brunette and glared at her.

"So you're the girl who bullied my daughter?" Bartholomew huffed.

"No, I didn't…" Leaf objected.

"You're a pathetic liar," Bartholomew interrupted, "my precious angel told me about the day you attacked her at Route Three!"

Mewtwo narrowed his eyes at the middle-aged CEO and clenched his fists.

"You…lie," Mewtwo growled.

Eloise abrasively snapped her fingers.

"DJ," Eloise commanded, "play my favorite song for me!"

The DJ made an expression of slight discomfort, yet he tapped on a few buttons and started playing a song which started echoing from the speakers. All of a sudden, Leaf recognized the lyrics of the song. She remembered Eloise would play that song which was so cheesy and awful it tortured her eardrums. Of course, that song came from a movie the young pageant praised as the greatest love story of all time. She let out a pained growl as she covered her ears, wishing she'd rather die than have the song get stuck in her head. Mewtwo thought fast and enveloped himself and Leaf in a soundproof veil, blocking out the onslaught of uncomfortable noises. Without warning, Blake sent out his Cacturne and narrowed his eyes at the psychic Legendary.

"Cacturne," Blake ordered, "Dark Pulse!"

Cacturne took a battle stance and released waves of dark energy which spread out until it collided with Mewtwo, knocking him off his senses as he collapsed onto his knees. Mewtwo stared in disbelief as Blake smirked at him. He cursed internally the instant he recalled when that Cacturne resisted his Psychic and didn't suffer as much damage from his Shadow Ball back at Route Three. If only he prepared for countering against Dark type Pokémon earlier…

To add insult to injury, the uncomfortable noises returned now that his sound barrier was gone. To make matters worse, Eloise, Blake and Omari started singing along.

"S-Stop it," Leaf pleaded, "make it stop!"

Without warning, no words could escape her mouth. Tears streaming down her cheeks and her chest tightening, it felt like her ability to speak was ripped out of her throat. She tried to open her mouth but instead of words, a shrill anguished scream escaped her. As she struggled to retain coherent thought, she scurried for the door, her hands fumbling in search of the doorknob. Her strength seemed to dwindle as she then collapsed onto her knees, lowered her head and grip her hair tightly in her hands.

While Red stared in disbelief and Gary's eyes widened in horror, almost all of the guests aboard the deck laughed at Leaf as she continued to cry in anguish. Pikachu couldn't help but feel sorry for Leaf. Sure, he may have beaten her Pokémon back in Viridian Forest, but she didn't deserve…this. The electric mouse scanned his surroundings before he locked eyes onto the DJ and the speakers. Pikachu rubbed his cheeks and sparks started building up.

"Piiikaaaa…"

Red rushed after Leaf and covered her ears while Mewtwo staggered back to his feet.

"Helios!" Red called, "get the door!"

Mewtwo's eyes glowed as he shoved the doors open and glared at the DJ before looking to the Pikachu. Red flinched when the door opened, yet he helped Leaf to her feet and they made their way inside. Gary thought fast and wrestled himself free from Eloise's grip before he bolted for the door.

"Darling, wait!" Eloise cried, "get back here!"

"Chuuuu!"

Pikachu unleashed a Thunderbolt which struck all the speakers, short-circuiting them before they shut off. When the music came to an abrupt silence, Eloise, Blake and Omari gaped at the electric mouse while the pageant's rich father clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes at him.

"You pesky rotten rodent!" Bartholomew roared.

Bartholomew stomped towards Pikachu and grabbed him by the tail, yanking him off the ground and dangling him midair which elicited a pained cry from the electric mouse while he flailed his limbs helplessly.

"Pikachu!" Red panicked.

Mewtwo quickly sped over to where Bartholomew stood, physically lifting up the man which startled him even when he kept his hand concealed beneath his cloak.

"Drop the Pikachu or I'll throw you off this ship," Mewtwo threatened, "you're not to handle another trainer's Pokémon like that!"

"Daddy! No!" Eloise screamed with tears welling in her eyes.

Mewtwo wanted to use telekinesis, but there were just way too many witnesses.

Without warning, the door flew open and the captain stormed out onto the deck, trudging towards the middle-aged CEO while glaring at him.

"Bartholomew Labelle," the captain demanded, "what's the meaning of this?!"

Bartholomew froze in his tracks before he reluctantly released his grip on Pikachu, allowing the electric mouse to skitter back to Red. Mewtwo released his grip on Bartholomew and rushed back over to the three young trainers.

"That little brat started the fight on purpose!" Bartholomew pointed at Leaf.

The captain folded his arms.

"I don't care who started this ruckus," the captain thundered, "I'm finishing it right here!"

And with that, Bartholomew clamped his mouth shut. While the captain turned on his feet and strolled over to Red, Gary, Leaf and Mewtwo huddling in the hallway, Eloise huffed before she examined a video she recorded in her Pokégear. A dark-skinned trainer, having noticed a screenshot out of the corner of her eye, trudged over to the pageant.

"What is it?!" Eloise snapped.

"Girl," the dark-skinned trainer demanded, "did you record her meltdown just now?!"

"It's not a meltdown, Lavender Frazier," Eloise dismissed, "it's a tantrum! You can see Leaftard is so spoiled and whiny because she thinks the world revolves around her. This right here will teach her to stop being such a brat."

Lavender narrowed her eyes and folded her arms.

"My dad's a lawyer," she warned, "so you better not post that vid if you don't wanna face him in court!"

Eloise's face turned red as she glared at Lavender.

"I can do whatever I want!" Eloise whined, stamping her foot, "you have a retarded brother, don't you? Doesn't he annoy you?"

"Nah," Lavender shook her head, "if I made a vid of my brother like that, my mom and dad woulda roasted my ass for it. Now you better delete that vid."

Eloise opened her mouth to protest, but noticed the captain locking eyes onto her and glaring at her while he knelt down next to Leaf and Mewtwo. Sweat beads formed at her forehead as pressure weighed down on her. This was so unfair! How could the captain of a famous cruise ship side with Leaf instead of the famous pageant of the Kalos region? After a moment of silence, Eloise reluctantly tapped the trash icon in her Pokégear, instantly deleting the video.

"Hmph!" Eloise pouted, "you win this round, slut!"

Lavender maintained her stoic expression, even as Eloise shoved her aside and stomped to the door, pushing her way inside. Once the door slammed shut and the pageant stomped down the stairs, the captain composed himself and stood to his full height.

"All right," the captain sighed, "let's go somewhere quiet."


	22. Friendship's Lament

The disgruntled captain led Red, Gary and Mewtwo down the second floor hallway, with the psychic Legendary carrying Leaf in his arms. Tears still lingered on her face as she hugged her arms to her chest. Gary took a quick detour to a bedroom provided to him to grab his bag before he met up with the others. They turned at a corner before making their way to a staircase. Once they climbed the stairs, the captain pushed the door open and gestured the trainers and the Genetic Pokémon into his cabin.

Red and Gary plopped onto the couch, the professor's grandson letting out a loud sigh as he leaned his head backwards. Mewtwo sat down next to Red before he nuzzled Leaf's cheek, still cradling her in his arms. The captain strolled over to his desk and sat down, his stern expression unnerving the boys.

"I'm terribly sorry you four got roped into this mess," the captain told them.

"You're…not mad at us?" Red paused.

The captain shook his head. Pikachu sat on his trainer's lap, cleaning and rubbing his tail in an effort to remove the lingering sensation of Bartholomew's grip off it, mumbling quietly to himself. Red stroked the electric mouse's head and watched the captain, trying to calm himself from the intense ordeal. Mewtwo didn't pay much attention to his surroundings as he held Leaf close to him.

"Well," the captain replied, "I was about to make preparations to set sail and then some of my guests chose to torment the three of you?"

Gary nodded with a huff.

"And to think that girl wants me as her husband?" Gary added, "she's still a teenager!"

"A teenager with no brain," Red muttered, "it's not the first time she's been after Leaf either. Her dad might say she's bullied his daughter, but they all bullied Leaf and our friend Helios came to her rescue."

Mewtwo perked up and looked over at his nickname, thinking back on that moment and hesitantly allowing himself to publicly send a telepathic message to the occupants in the room.

"I suppose I technically broadcasted what she and her associates did to Leaf to the Pewter screens in that moment," Mewtwo explained, gesturing to the brunette in his arms, "but that was solely to protect her. I apologize if I caused any trouble to your vessel, captain."

The captain made a brief glance at Mewtwo and chuckled softly.

"Hey, no trouble at all," he humbly fluttered his hand, "I suppose I can offer you three trainers something to compensate for the incident."

The captain reached into his desk and pulled out three disks which differed from the TMs the three trainers collected so far.

"This is a Hidden Move called Cut," the captain explained, "you find any prickly trees in the way, you use it on your Pokémon to cut it down."

Pikachu perked his ears up and glanced over. He jumped off Red's lap and climbed onto the desk, taking a moment to sniff at the disks. Red approached the desk before he carefully took them and handed them out.

"Wow," Red exclaimed, "thanks, captain! Are you sure you can spare these?"

The captain nodded with a smile.

"Of course," he answered, "they don't call me the Cut Master for nothing!"

* * *

The next thing they knew, they disembarked the ship and stepped back to the port. By then, the sailors hauled up the anchor while one of them blew a whistle. Moments later, the ship's funnel expelled a loud horn blast which echoed across the port. Leaf groaned softly as the noise rattled her eardrums but she couldn't bring herself to cover her ears with her hands. Mewtwo's eyes softened as he emitted an invisible sound barrier for less than a minute. Red and Gary glanced over their shoulders as the S.S. Anne left the port, slowly making its way out to sea.

"Well," Gary commented, "I didn't feel like traveling to other regions right now. Thanks, guys."

"Anytime," Red gave Gary a wink.

As they walked farther towards the coast, they noticed Lavender standing on the port as she stroked her hand along her Typhlosion's head. When she spotted the trainers and the psychic Legendary out of the corner of her eye, she tilted her head sideways.

"Hey," Lavender called out, "you guys all right?"

Red and Gary paused in their tracks as chills went down their spines.

"Y-Yeah," Red blurted, "the situation's calmed down by now. What brings you here?"

Lavender shrugged as she withdrew her Typhlosion.

"About to head out to Indigo Plateau," Lavender clarified, "Johto League starts in a week."

Gary shrugged. Red simply blinked twice as Leaf wrapped her arms around Mewtwo. The psychic Legendary sighed as he nuzzled her cheek.

"Of course," Mewtwo nodded.

Lavender made a brief glance at the S.S. Anne reaching the horizon before turning to face the coastal city.

"You guys on a journey, too?" she asked the three trainers.

"Yeah," Gary placed his hand behind his head, "we gotta long way to go, though and plenty of time."

Lavender glanced over her shoulder and winked at them.

"All right, I gotta get going," Lavender said, "see ya!"

And with that, Lavender started sprinting down the port. Red, Leaf, Gary and Mewtwo waited in a minute of silence before they started making their way out of the port.

It didn't take long for them to reach the Pokémon Center, where they ate their dinner in the lobby in silence before they made their way to a room they booked. Red combed Pikachu's fur while Leaf sat on her own bed, hugging her legs to her chest as she glanced downwards. She shivered slightly as the memory of the whole incident played back in her head. Hateful words also echoed in her mind, weighing her down like a Rhyhorn had pinned her to the ground.

_What did you do to cause it?!_

_They're just getting a reaction. Ignore them._

_Your weird behavior is unacceptable!_

Leaf may have cried already hours ago, but she tried to resist the urge to shed tears again. Sighing, Mewtwo sat next to her and placed his hand on top of her head.

"I'm so sorry," Mewtwo whispered into her head.

Leaf simply turned her head towards Mewtwo and just nodded at him. By then, Gary emerged from the bathroom in his pajamas. The professor's grandson didn't hesitate to toss the blazer, waistcoat, slacks, necktie and dress shirt into the hamper.

"Is it just me," Gary asked, "or did it look like Eloise was about to post the video she recorded onto the Internet?"

Leaf shivered and tightened her arms around her legs.

"Omari already did that," Leaf admitted, "once…back at school."

While Red and Gary stared in disbelief, Mewtwo gazed intently as he slowly nodded.

"I'm not surprised," Mewtwo replied.

"Yikes," Red muttered under his breath.

"H-How?" Gary warbled.

Just as Squirtle jumped onto the bed, Leaf lifted her head slightly as she recalled that day when she first met Omari.

"Omari…befriended me at first," Leaf began, "when I was six. That was the year I started attending the school in Viridian City."

Leaf reeled back a little when she recalled the moments Eloise and Blake started teasing her for her odd habits.

"I thought he was a good friend," Leaf continued, "standing up for me when Eloise and Blake hated me right from the start."

Squirtle lowered his head and drooped his tail.

"Squirtle…"

Mewtwo nodded at Squirtle as he swished his tail to one side.

"Do you need to take a break?" Mewtwo asked her.

Leaf shook her head.

"We did get along for a month," Leaf added, "but then, he told the class his younger brother was diagnosed with Autism."

"Like yourself?" Mewtwo clarified.

The instant Leaf nodded, Red and Pikachu exchanged glances amidst the confusion.

"I-I had no idea," Red commented.

"Pika…"

"Worse, Omari added his parents started sending him to ABA Therapy," Leaf interrupted, making air quotes, "they believed doing so would make him 'normal'."

Leaf couldn't help but remember the nervousness she felt on how Omari would react if she gone through with telling him about her diagnosis. She remembered that time when he had been getting friendly with Eloise and Blake for a while.

_Maybe you should try making friends with her, that way she won't tease you as much._

"Is that even a good idea for that kind of practice to exist?" Gary gave Leaf a confused look.

Mewtwo shook his head.

"And then Ellie told Omari about my Autism and that's when he chose to exploit it," Leaf said.

Her hand flew to her mouth as her mind became plagued with memories of that dreadful day when she got locked in a storage closet, struggling to find a radio which played a variety of songs she hated so much she would rather be rendered deaf than have those songs stuck in her head forever before she collapsed to the floor, screaming and flailing her limbs as tears trickled down her cheeks. She still swallowed that nervous lump in her throat to explain the incident.

"I didn't find out Omari pulled that prank until the next day," Leaf added, "but that's not the worst part. He shared a video of the whole thing with his friends."

Mewtwo shivered as he ran his hand through Leaf's hair.

"I assume he recorded that footage," Mewtwo replied.

Leaf nodded.

"The betrayal was so bad," Leaf said, "I wanted to make him hurt for what he did."

Her memory flashed to the day she threw a punch to Omari's face, even repeating the method a few times before they dropped to the ground and started wrestling.

_I'll never forgive you!_

"That didn't stop my teacher from giving me a detention," Leaf added, "and not believing me."

_Leaf Aoyama! You dare attack Omari like that?! You're supposed to be his friend, you ungrateful little brat!_

Her memory flashed to the day she had to sit in detention after school.

"Omari joined Ellie's gang since then," Leaf concluded.

Mewtwo found his head tilting subconsciously as memories flashed through his head.

_Is that my purpose? Am I just an experiment? A laboratory specimen? This cannot be my destiny!_

He recalled the anger, hues of purple covering his vision from the grays around him, explosions and fire. A dark room replaced that memory. The next thing he knew, he stared up at a man confidently standing at a balcony.

 _Humans may have created me, but they will never enslave me. This cannot be my destiny! I was not born a_ _Pokémon_ _, I was created. My creators have used and betrayed me, so I stand alone!_

Concrete flew around him, wires whipping around him from the armor, followed by another explosion. He realized he hadn't been breathing and took a manual breath, blinking back to his senses. As he took a moment to calm himself, he made brief glances at Leaf, Red, Gary, Squirtle and Pikachu.

"Pika?" Pikachu blurted.

"I'm fine," Mewtwo replied, "I was caught up in my own thoughts."

Squirtle examined him silently with his head tilted sideways before turning back to Leaf. Gary sat down on his bed while Red scratched his head.

"Yeesh," Red commented, "that really sucks, being picked on by other kids and being blamed for it."

Mewtwo nodded and silently listened to the conversation, realizing how all he wanted to do was re-read his book at this moment, to not let the memories come back. He could feel them swimming at the edge of his conscious thought. Leaf reached into her messenger bag and pulled out her Togepi doll before she slipped under the covers. Squirtle blinked twice before he curled up onto a pillow next to her. Likewise, Pikachu stretched his arms and let out a yawn.

"Squirtle?" Squirtle chirped, "Squirt Squirtle?"

Mewtwo nodded and telekinetically drew the book out of his backpack, moving to lean back against the wall near the end of the bed so as to let Leaf have her space.

"Is this suitable?" Mewtwo asked her.

"Maybe…a little closer?" Leaf requested.

Pikachu hopped off the table and curled up on a pillow on Red's bed. Mewtwo shuffled carefully until he lay parallel to her, tail almost curled protectively around her and back against the wall.

"Well?"

"Better," Leaf nodded.

Mewtwo smiled softly as Red climbed underneath the covers and rested his head on his pillow. Using his telekinesis, the psychic Legendary shut off the lights while leaving one lamp on. As the three trainers slowly drifted off to sleep, Mewtwo started reading his book, calming his mind in the quiet ambience.

* * *

Meanwhile, Jessie, James and Meowth stood at the port and stared at the directory, sighing in disappointment. To them, nothing was more frustrating than the delays that caused them to miss the S.S. Anne.

"So much for planning a mass thieving spree," James muttered to himself, "and never getting to put it into action."

Jessie shook her head and folded her arms while she gave James and Meowth a tsk-tsk.

"And who's to blame for losing track of the time?" Jessie scolded.

"But Jessie," James protested, giving Jessie puppy eyes, "those ramen noodles were so tasty!"

Meowth tilted his head away and wagged his finger.

"Oh, cut the crap," Meowth grumbled, "we would've boarded the ship on time if you hadn't ordered second helpings!"

James slumped his shoulders with a heavy sigh. As far as he knew, the chances of getting to the S.S. Anne by swimming were already slim to none, and they didn't have any Pokémon strong enough to carry the trio across the water.

"Let's just find a place to sleep tonight," James suggested.

Jessie huffed before she turned on her feet and stomped her way out of the dock, so James and Meowth followed her without saying much further. When they strolled through Vermilion City, they didn't bother finding a hotel. It wasn't long before they entered Diglett's Cave. The incompetent Team Rocket trio ventured deeper into the cave until they found a suitable place to camp.

As they got out their sleeping bags, Meowth scanned his surroundings and observed the Digletts and Dugtrios wandering along the walls, floor and crevices of the tunnel. He took note of some features such as a stray boulder while thinking of possible places to hide.

"Ooh," Meowth grinned as he rubbed his paws together, "I just got an idea!"


	23. Electrifying Obstacle Course

Red, Gary, Leaf and Mewtwo made their way to Vermilion Gym the next morning. The sweet taste of cinnamon crepes from the Pokémon Center cafeteria lingered on Leaf's taste buds, which brightened her mood. It didn't help that a prickly bush stood in the way, so Leaf sent out her Bellsprout to use his recently learned Cut move to chop it down, leaving behind a stump.

"Nice one, Bellsprout!" Leaf chirped as she raised her fist into the air.

"Sprout!" Bellsprout happily flapped its leafy limbs.

Bellsprout hopped back towards his trainer, allowing her to return him into his Poké Ball. The three trainers and the psychic Legendary strolled along the perimeter of the gym until they reached the front facade and tilted their heads upwards. They stared in awe as the gym, seemingly larger than the Cerulean Gym or the Pewter Gym, stood out from the rest of the city.

"Hey, Helios," Gary mused, "you think there's something interesting going on in that gym?"

Mewtwo stared in silence as he rubbed his chin.

"I have no idea," Mewtwo admitted, "but I'm sure it'll be interesting."

Pikachu's ears twitched and his fur seemed to fluff as he approached the door, eagerly standing on his tiptoes and glancing back at Red.

"I retract my previous statement," Mewtwo said, "given the friction in the air I'm now picking up at Pikachu's indications, this could be interesting. Perhaps, no pun intended, a little shocking."

"Oh," Red replied.

Leaf, Red, Gary and Mewtwo stepped towards the Gym as the automatic front door slid open. Once they set foot inside the reception hall, they noticed the glass sliding door and large adjacent windows gave them a clear view of a large room with an obstacle course in place of where the arena should be. Across the large room, they recognized the Gym Leader from the Collective Regions of Murica standing tall on the raised balcony with his arms folded.

The young girl scanned the bulletin board on her right in search of some sort of poster which would have this gym's schedule. Much to her disappointment, she didn't find anything else apart from the usual running hours the gyms had. On their left, a receptionist sitting behind his desk tilted his head sideways and gave Leaf a puzzled look.

"Can I help you?" the receptionist called over.

Leaf snapped out of her thoughts and made a brief glance at the receptionist.

"Uh, m-morning sir," Leaf stammered as she swung one leg back and forth, "we're here for the Gym challenge."

Red, Gary and Mewtwo also tilted their heads towards the receptionist. After a brief moment of silence, the psychic Legendary and the three trainers approached the desk.

"Ah, of course," the receptionist mused, "in that case, this gym is one of a few gyms in the Kanto region that has a prerequisite trial trainers must complete before they can challenge the Gym Leader."

Red and Gary exchanged confused glances in a moment of silence. Mewtwo tilted his head and kept his cloak in place.

"I guess you mean that obstacle course?" Red pointed to the course beyond the glass.

"Of course," the receptionist nodded.

"What if a trainer is bound to a wheelchair?" Leaf pointed out.

"The obstacle course could be adjusted to fit their needs if that was the case," the receptionist answered, "no worries."

"Well, that's nice," Red nodded, "I assume only the battling trainers have to go through it?"

Mewtwo studied it from what he could see, ready to help from his distance if he had to.

"That depends," the receptionist replied, "you want a chance to challenge the Gym Leader?"

Gary nodded before he examined the sign-in screen embedded in the desk.

"Let's do this!" Gary smiled.

Gary didn't hesitate to sign his name using a stylus before handing it to Leaf. She took a deep breath before she stepped over to the desk, examining the screen before she wrote down her name. She extended her arm, holding out the stylus so Red could grab it. He didn't hesitate to approach the desk and sign his name.

"Do any Pokémon that are out need to sign it?" Red asked.

Pikachu looked inquisitively through the glass, still on his tiptoes and whipping the air with his tail to keep his fur from fluffing up.

"Your Pokémon don't need to sign in," the receptionist shrugged, "when the trainer signs in, they can pick out only one Pokémon to join them in the obstacle course."

Leaf took a hint and reached into her bag, pulling out a Poké Ball before she sent out her Sandshrew. Pikachu perked up and looked to Red, who took a moment to think over his decision.

"Sorry, bud, I think Charmander might be better," Red sighed, "as much as I hate to deny you the chance to battle the electric Gym Leader."

Pikachu's ears drooped in disappointment. Gary tapped gently on his Poké Balls as he tried to decide what Pokemon to go for. While the electric mouse hopped off of the windowsill, the professor's grandson brought out his Bulbasaur. Leaf pulled a hair tie out of her messenger bag and tied her hair into a ponytail before she handed her messenger bag to Mewtwo.

"You wanna watch over our stuff for us?" Leaf clamored.

Mewtwo didn't say anything as he nodded. When Red brought out his Charmander, he stepped towards the sliding glass door. He carefully moved to sit and Pikachu moved to sulk next to him. Red stifled laughter and put his bag down.

"Thanks, dude," Red said, "sorry, buddy."

Gary removed his bag before he and Leaf followed Red into the large chamber with Sandshrew, Charmander and Bulbasaur following close behind. While Mewtwo and Pikachu migrated to the bleachers and sat down, Leaf, Red and Gary made their way to the starting point of the obstacle course and took a moment or so to stretch her limbs. Leaf swayed her torso side to side. With the psychic Legendary keeping the trainers' bags close to him, he scanned his surroundings before returning his gaze to the trio of misfit trainers.

Charmander and Bulbasaur exchanged glances while Sandshrew stretched his arms upwards and yawned. Pikachu continued to sulk, sitting on top of Red's bag. Charmander glanced at Sandshrew and stretched his limbs as well, assuming Bulbasaur would use his vines for most of the course. Leaf tilted her head to the left as a referee stood from the bleachers and approached the railing, a whistle in his hand.

"Trainers," the referee announced, "on your marks!"

Upon cue, Leaf, Red and Gary shifted into a lunge pose as if they were waiting for the start of a race. The young girl brushed a few stray hairs out of her eyes and took a few deep breaths, anticipating the stamina she might have to expend to get a chance to challenge the Gym Leader. Leaf lifted her head and examined the obstacle course before her. When she took note of each obstacle lined up along the room, she found herself recalling the occasions she would resort to climbing through the jungle gym to dodge her bullies pursuing her.

Still, Leaf shook her head, brushing off the intrusive thoughts. She didn't need to worry about having to escape her bullies today. She reminded herself they can't harm her if the S.S. Anne was out to sea.

The instant the referee blew the whistle moments later, the misfit trainers started their sprint. They fast approached the first obstacle which had logs supported by a frame formed into the shape of a triangle. The three trainers started climbing the logs from one side with Sandshrew, Charmander and Bulbasaur jumping up on each log at intervals. When they each reached the top, they leapt down the other side before they scurried towards the next obstacle. They stopped at the edge of an oblong pool while three ropes dangled in front of them. Bulbasaur tilted his head upwards and examined the beam hanging below the ceiling where the ropes were secured in a knot.

Bulbasaur brought out his vines and flung them upwards, securing them around the beam. Sandshrew and Charmander gave him an astounded glance before they tilted their heads up towards Leaf and Red. The young girl knelt down and lifted Sandshrew into her arms while Red crouched down, allowing the fire lizard to climb onto his back.

"Ok, hold on tight, buddy!" Red gave Charmander a wink.

"Char!"

Leaf, Red and Gary each took a rope into their hands, hugging them in a tight grip. Sandshrew gripped his trainer's shirt with his tiny hands. Seconds later, the three trainers and Bulbasaur jumped off and swung across the pool to the other end. They didn't hesitate to touch down and release the ropes while the grass reptile withdrew his vines. Leaf tilted her head to her left and made a brief glance at Mewtwo and Pikachu. The psychic Legendary gave an encouraging smile and a small nod while he waved, keeping his hand under the cloak. Pikachu still had his arms crossed, but his ears perked up in interest and he felt a lot less grumpy.

Still, they had no time to waste, so Leaf, Red and Gary sprinted over to the next obstacle. A rectangular wooden frame stood upright while covered in a cargo net. When the three trainers stopped mere inches before this obstacle, Charmander and Sandshrew jumped out of their trainers' arms and examined the net. Bulbasaur trembled nervously and glanced back at the other two Pokémon as they grabbed at the net.

Leaf brushed a few stray hairs out of her eyes and took one deep breath before she placed her foot on the thick rope near the bottom. Seeing her starting her climb up the cargo net was enough for Red and Gary to snap out of their thoughts, so they also started climbing up the obstacle. Bulbasaur watched as Charmander and Sanshrew started climbing, using their semi-bipedal nature to their advantage. The grass reptile sighed before he used his vines to hoist himself up each several weaves of the net. Once they reached the top of the obstacle, the three trainers swung their legs over the frame before they began shimmying down the other side of the cargo net.

Mewtwo had been ready to catch them if any of them had lost their grip on the netting, sensing that rope burn was unpleasant and it would've been an even more uncomfortable landing. A matter of seconds later, the three trainers touched down on the floor. Mewtwo relaxed and glanced to the receptionist to notice he was busy before stretching his tail and trying to relieve some of the tension. While their Pokémon leapt off the obstacle, they glanced over their shoulders and examined a row of three tunnels.

"Shouldn't be too hard," Gary commented.

Leaf watched as Sandshrew, Charmander and Bulbasaur darted into the tunnels. She, Red and Gary dropped to their knees and crawled into the tunnels. After they emerged from the other side of each tunnel, the three trainers got back to their feet and examined the row of three monkey bars before them. Not surprisingly, Bulbasaur brought out his vines again and started swinging along each bar. Leaf and Red allowed Sandshrew and Charmander to climb onto their backs before they and Gary jumped up and swung along each bar. All the while, Pikachu stared with keen interest.

Soon, they reached the end of the monkey bars and dropped down before taking a moment to catch their breath. Before them, three low hurdles stood at equal distance between one another. Charmander examined the low hurdles before he started sprinting underneath them.

"Cheater!" Leaf retorted aloud.

Gary took a couple steps back before he sprinted forward. While Bulbasaur followed him and Sandshrew sniffed at the first hurdle, Leaf and Red also started their sprint before they jumped over their first hurdle. While Red and Gary landed on their feet, Leaf's left ankle caught the hurdle before she fell over, a loud pained cry escaping her mouth as she scraped her knees along the floor. Mewtwo stood to his feet and examined her from a distance.

"Leaf!" he called out to her in his telepathy, "how badly are you hurt?"

Red stopped in his tracks and rushed to the girl's side while kneeling down.

"What happened?" Red added, "did you catch your foot?"

Leaf took a moment to remove her foot from the hurdle before she staggered to her feet.

"I-I'll be fine," Leaf insisted, "let's just keep going."

Red sighed before he started racing to the next hurdle. Leaf watched as her Sandshrew darted underneath the hurdles like Charmander and Bulbasaur did before she sighed. Still, she sprinted forward and leapt over the following two hurdles and much to her luck, she didn't stumble over again. Mewtwo watched her and slowly relaxed not sensing overwhelming pain from her, so he slowly sat back down.

Leaf, Red and Gary stopped before the next obstacle consisting of fake tree stumps embedded in a large sandbox with barbed wires woven among the tops of the stumps. They watched as their Pokémon started crawling along the sand underneath the barbed wires. Leaf dropped to her knees, but when she noticed the wires were slightly closer to the sand, she lowered herself onto her belly. Red and Gary followed suit before they started crawling underneath the barbed wires. The slow crawl took them a couple minutes before they emerged from the obstacle, so they got back to their feet and examined an oblong ramp three quarters their size which curved upwards.

Charmander, Bulbasaur and Sandshrew exchanged glances before they started racing up the ramp. The fire lizard and the shrew Pokémon barely managed to grab onto the top of the ramp, but Bulbasaur slid back down, much to Gary's chagrin. Leaf shook her head before she sprinted up the ramp, managing to grab onto the edge of the top. Red and Gary only had a brief second to stare in amazement before they started sprinting up the ramp. While his rival grabbed onto the edge of the top, the professor's grandson retrieved his Bulbasaur before climbing up the edge. The three trainers tilted their heads downwards for a brief moment before they slid down the other ramp on their feet with ease.

After the professor's grandson lowered his Bulbasaur to the floor, Leaf, Red and Gary took only a few seconds to catch their breaths before they observed the ninth obstacle. Three thick logs lay along the oblong ditch with gravel at the bottom as if they each formed a bridge. One thing was clear in their minds, falling off meant they would have to try again. Sandshrew, Charmander and Bulbasaur climbed onto the thick logs first. Their trainers watched as their Pokémon started crossing the bridges, with the fire lizard spreading his arms apart to keep himself balanced. Red stepped onto his bridge first and tread slowly, spreading his arms open to keep himself from falling.

Leaf and Gary followed suit and carefully tread along the log bridges. The young girl almost stumbled, but she managed to keep herself from falling over. Red, on the other hand, lost his balance halfway and fell over, landing on his butt in the gravel. He grimaced before he shuffled back to the starting point and stepped back onto the log bridge. Sandshrew, Bulbasaur and Charmander finished crossing the balance bridges first, so they waited for their trainers to reach the other side. When they got across and jumped off the log bridges, they took a look at the last obstacle.

The wall leading to the balcony had three ropes dangling from the short stakes at the top. Bulbasaur brought out his vines again and eyed another stake nearby. He flung his vines upwards and grasped onto the stake before he started pulling himself up. With Charmander clinging onto Red's arm and Sandshrew perched on Leaf's shoulder, the three trainers grabbed each rope and hoisted themselves up, starting to scale the wall. They kept their eyes locked onto the top of the raised balcony as they continued their climb. Sandshrew and Charmander tightened their grip and squeezed their eyes shut.

Bulbasaur and Gary reached to the top first while Leaf reached the halfway point. Red took another step forward but let out a startled yelp when Charmander started losing his grip. The boy shifted his arm to wrap it around his starter Pokémon, though his loosened grip on the rope caused him to fall back a few feet. Red tightened his grip on the rope again and gestured the fire lizard to perch onto his shoulder just as Leaf climbed two more feet with the edge in her sight.

"Almost," Red panted, "there!"

Red went back to scaling the wall until he caught up to Leaf. From there, they reached the edge and climbed onto the balcony. They and Gary sprinted over to a pedestal holding a large button and slammed down on it at the same time. The next thing they knew, a klaxxon echoed across the court signaling their victory, though the loud noise caused Leaf to stiffen and cover her ears with her hands.

"Made it," Gary panted heavily.

Gary dropped to his knees and planted his palms on the floor. While Leaf reached around to cradle Sandshrew in her arms, Red shifted his gaze towards Lt. Surge who gave him a grin.

"Well," the Gym Leader mused, "I didn't think you three trainers managed to pull off my obstacle course simultaneously. I say that's such great teamwork!"

Red chuckled as he placed his hand behind his head.

"Thanks, sir," Red smiled.

"Here's an idea," Lt. Surge suggested, "how about you three kids rest up a bit and then we do a triple battle?"

Red, Gary and Leaf's eyes widened in shock.

"T-Triple battle?!" Red and Gary exclaimed in unison.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So why did I decide on an obstacle course for Vermilion Gym? Can you imagine searching trash cans for two switches just to reach the Gym Leader? Lame! An obstacle course as a prerequisite for challenging Lt. Surge is much more fitting considering his military background.


	24. The Surging Triple Gym Battle

Red, Leaf and Gary returned to the reception hall to rest for an hour. Leaf held her Sandshrew as he cuddled in her lap, Bulbasaur relaxed next to Gary while he munched on a Lava Cookie. Red held a water bottle in his hand while his Charmander and Pikachu chattered among each other. Mewtwo knelt by the girl's side and with a Potion in his hand, he tended to her scraped knees.

"Well, this is tricky," Gary muttered to himself.

Red tilted his head sideways.

"What is?" Red paused, "the triple battle?"

Gary chuckled with a shrug. Mewtwo tried his best to handle the girl's legs gently, examining her for any other injuries.

"I hope I'm not hurting you further," Mewtwo spoke into her head, "are you injured anywhere else?"

Mewtwo glanced to the side and double-checked the course to identify the surface Leaf landed on rather badly.

"I'll be fine," Leaf insisted, "it's nothing compared to that incident on Route Three."

"True," Mewtwo agreed, "but I'd like to keep you as healthy as I can. I promised to look after you and I wish to uphold that."

He thought back to his reaction and seemed surprised at himself for wanting to fly straight to her side and deal with her injuries there and then, before they possibly got infected. By the time he finished applying the Potion, Mewtwo carefully bandaged her knees. Leaf tilted her head towards Gary.

"You guys have any ideas on…how to make a triple battle work?" she asked.

Red sighed before he took another sip of water.

"Well, your Sandshrew has a better advantage than the rest of us," Red reminded.

Mewtwo subtly moved the potion bottle to his bag, only using telekinesis when it was under the cloak as he listened to the conversation.

"Whatever three Pokémon he has," Gary replied, gesturing to the brunette trainer, "I'm sure they'd have a team based strategy. For our triple team strategy, I guess we can leave that to Leaf here."

Leaf blinked twice as she swung her legs back and forth.

"Ok, thanks!" Leaf chirped.

The silence broke when the referee stepped into the lobby before he shifted his gaze towards the three trainers.

"The stadium is ready," he announced, "you coming?"

They snapped out of their thoughts and stood back to their feet.

"We're on our way," Red told him.

The referee nodded before he stepped back through the door. Just then, Squirtle popped out of his Poké Ball before he waved his paw at Leaf with a happy chirp. After Mewtwo gathered their bags, Red, Leaf and Gary stepped through the sliding door and made their way to the stadium court with Sandshrew, Charmander and Bulbasaur following close behind. Mewtwo settled into the bleachers while Pikachu and Squirtle sat down next to him on both sides. Lt. Surge stood upright with his arms folded on one platform overlooking the arena while the three trainers stepped onto the opposing platform.

"Well, we took the time we needed and we're ready," Gary called out, "you?"

Lt. Surge nodded with a grin before he reached for his utility belt and sent out his Voltorb, Magnemite and Raichu out onto the arena. Leaf clasped her hands behind her back and tilted her head downwards while she swung one leg back and forth.

"You kids got brass nerves to take me on with your puny power," Lt. Surge said, "let me warn you a Pokémon battle is war! I'll show you civilians while I shock you three into surrender!"

Just then, a referee approached the railing from the bleachers with a pair of flags in his hands.

"The battle between the Vermilion Gym Leader, Lt. Surge," the referee announced, "and the challengers Leaf, Red and Gary from Pallet Town will begin shortly! Today, this challenge will be a triple battle! The Gym Leader may send out his three Pokémon while each of the challengers may send out only one Pokémon. Is everyone ready?"

"I choose Charmander!" Red declared.

Charmander charged onto the arena and took the middle space.

"Char!"

"Of course," Leaf muttered to herself, "Magnemite is part steel."

Leaf tilted her head towards her Sandshrew and nodded at him, encouraging the shrew to jump into the arena.

"Sand!"

Gary extended his arm, pointing at Lt. Surge.

"And I choose Bulbasaur!" he added.

Bulbasaur jumped into the arena.

"Bulba!"

Leaf, Red and Gary took a battle stance in unison while Sandshrew scratched at the ground with his front paws. The referee raised two flags in the air.

"Let the battle begin!"

Lt. Surge nodded at Voltorb, prompting it to roll forward.

"Bulbasaur," Gary ordered, "use Vine Whip!"

Bulbasaur brought out his vines and started flailing them at Voltorb while Charmander stared down the Magnemite.

"Charmander," Red instructed, "Fire Fang!"

"Char!"

Charmander charged after the Magnemite as his teeth started to ignite in flames.

"Voltorb, use Thunderbolt!" Lt. Surge pointed his finger forth, "Magnemite, use Sonic Boom!"

While electric sparks enveloped Voltorb, Magnemite's arms started glowing. The magnet Pokémon unleashed crescent-like shockwaves at Charmander, which knocked him back briefly. The fire lizard quickly jumped to his feet before he continued charging at Magnemite. Bulbasaur slammed one of his vines onto Voltorb, but a split second later, the electric sphere discharged its electric charge, zapping Bulbasaur through the vine. While Bulbasaur recoiled, Charmander pounced onto Magmemite and bit down hard, the scorching flames emitting from its teeth burning the magnet Pokémon. Moments later, the Magnemite reeled back just as Charmander released his grip. All the while, Sandshrew and Raichu exchanged glances. Raichu crouched down and scratched on the ground with its front claws while it sparked its cheeks.

"Sandshrew," Leaf commanded, "Dig!"

Sandshrew didn't hesitate as he quickly dug into the ground. Raichu stared in disbelief before it dissipated the electric sparks dancing on its cheeks. The evolved electric mouse attempted to feel the ground with its feet. Without warning, Sandshrew popped out from the ground from behind.

"Raichu," Lt. Surge warned, "Double Kick!"

Before Sandshrew could charge at Raichu, the electric Pokémon spun around. It kicked the shrew hard in the gut, sending him crashing onto the floor. Leaf winced and fluttered her left hand nervously. While Sandshrew staggered back to his feet, Magnemite shook its body before returning its focus on Charmander.

"Magnemite, Thunderbolt!"

Sandshrew glanced over his shoulder and locked eyes onto Leaf. Electric sparks began to envelop Magnemite. Seconds later, the magnet Pokémon unleashed a powerful electric attack which struck Charmander. Seconds later, the electricity dissipated. The fire lizard staggered on his feet yet refused to collapse to the ground.

"Fire Fang again!" Red ordered.

Charmander charged at the Magnemite while his fangs ignited before biting down on the magnet Pokémon. It let out a screech until Charmander released it from its grip. Magnemite dropped to the ground.

"Magnemite is unable to battle," the referee announced, "Charmander wins the battle!"

Red grinned and winked at Gary and Leaf while Lt. Surge recalled his Magnemite. Pikachu chirped and waved his paw at his trainer while Charmander locked eyes onto Raichu. Voltorb rolled after Bulbasaur, only for the seed Pokémon to jump out of the way before it could collide into him.

"Bulbasaur, Take Down!" Gary instructed.

Bulbasaur scratched the ground with one paw for a brief second. After that, it charged towards the Voltorb.

"Voltorb, Self Destruct!" Lt. Surge commanded.

Bulbasaur rammed into Voltorb. Seconds later, the spherical Pokémon blew itself up, the sound of the explosion echoing across the stadium which forced Leaf to cover her ears as she winced. Once the dust dissipated, both Voltorb and Bulbasaur splayed on the ground.

"Voltorb and Bulbasaur are unable to battle," the referee raised both flags, "this round's a draw!"

Gary let out an exhausted sigh as he recalled his Bulbasaur.

"Take a good rest, bud," Gary murmured, "you did great."

Lt. Surge recalled his Voltorb as his eyes locked onto Raichu. Mewtwo stared at the Raichu intently and his muscles tensed while his tail curled slightly.

"Raichu, Thunderbolt!"

Raichu's cheeks emitted electric sparks while it glared at the Charmander. The fire lizard widened his stance and tensed up in anticipation of the incoming blow. Leaf scanned her surroundings nervously before returning her gaze to her Sandshrew, who simply gave her a reassuring nod.

"C-Careful, Sandshrew," Leaf whispered.

The instant Raichu unleashed its electric attack, Sandshrew leapt forward and landed in front of Charmander. Leaf, Mewtwo, Red and Gary stared in awe as Sandshrew took the electric attack without flinching.

"No way!" Red gasped.

"Char?"

"Pika?"

While the electric shockwave continued on, Lt. Surge stared in interest while Mewtwo couldn't help but give a soft smile. Squirtle happily jumped up and down as Sandshrew stood his ground. After the electric waves dissipated, Raichu bowed its head briefly while it gasped for air.

"Rai…"

Without warning, Sandshrew started glowing. Leaf stared in awe as his body grew a foot in size and his claws grew larger and sharper. The brick pattern on his hide began to fade and quills grew out from his back. Once the glow dissipated, the newly evolved Pokémon stood tall and triumphantly raised his front paws into the air.

"Slash!"

"Whoa!" Gary exclaimed.

Red pulled out his Pokédex and held it before Leaf's newly evolved Pokémon.

_{Sandslash, the Mouse Pokémon and the evolved version of Sandshrew. It is adept at attacking with the quills on its back and its sharp claws while quickly scurrying about. It curls up into a spiny ball when threatened and can roll while curled up to attack or escape.}_

Leaf smiled at her Sandslash while Lt. Surge raised an eyebrow.

"Impressive," Lt Surge commented, "but don't let that get your guard down, kid! Raichu, Double Kick!"

"Rai!"

Raichu started sprinting towards Sandslash.

"Curl up!" Leaf called.

Sandslash curled himself into a ball, his quills protruding outwards. Raichu leapt into the air and descended upon Sandslash, but when his foot made contact with a quill, the electric mouse let out a high pitched shriek and pulled backwards. Still, Leaf flinched and clapped her hands over her ears to block out the loud noise. Seconds after the cry dissipated, Leaf watched as Sandslash uncurled himself and made a battle stance.

"O-Ok," Leaf blurted, removing her hands from her ears, "use Magnitude!"

Sandslash raised his foot into the air while Charmander scrambled for cover. The newly evolved Pokémon stomped down onto the ground hard. Red and Gary shuddered nervously as the ground vibrated violently, causing the Raichu to flop onto its back, flailing its limbs rapidly. Once the vibrations dissipated several seconds later, the Gym Leader's ace Pokémon panted heavily in exhaustion. Lt. Surge stared intently for a brief moment as the Raichu struggled to get back up. Not a second later, Raichu flopped onto its back.

"Raichu is unable to battle," the referee announced, "Sandslash wins the battle! Victory goes to Red, Leaf and Gary from Pallet Town!"

Red, Leaf and Gary took a moment to catch their breaths in the aftermath of the battle. Still, their faces lit up as the boys exchanged glances, their smiles beaming with excitement.

"We did it," Red exclaimed, "we…actually did it!"

Lt. Surge didn't say much as he withdrew his Raichu into its Poké Ball. He reached into a pocket of his cargo pants and pulled out three identical badges before he approached the three trainers.

"Well," he commented, "that was a shocker. You kids are the real deal."

Leaf smiled while she swayed her torso side to side, not bothering to gaze into the Gym Leader's eyes. The three trainers held out their hands, allowing Lt. Surge to place each badge onto their palms.

"Here," Lt. Surge said, "I bestow each of you the Thunder Badge. But of course, that's not the only thing you'll be getting from me!"

Lt. Surge reached into his other pocket and handed each of the three trainers the TM labeled Thunderbolt.

"This TM right here should be stronger than Thundershock," Lt. Surge clarified.

"Thanks!" Gary chirped.

The misfit trainers stashed their badges into their badge cases and their new TMs into their TM cases. Leaf glanced over her shoulder and waved her hand at Mewtwo. Squirtle grinned and waved his paws.

"Squirtle! Squirtle!" the Squirtle chirped.

Mewtwo nodded as he rose to his full height. Charmander crawled out from his makeshift cover, allowing his trainer to recall him into his Poké Ball. After Leaf recalled her Sandslash, she followed Red and Gary to the bleachers to grab their bags. They followed the psychic Legendary out of the stadium and across the reception lobby. Stopping near the front door, Leaf and Mewtwo exchanged glances.

"Mewtwo?"

Mewtwo smiled and placed his hand on her head.

"Leaf," Mewtwo spoke into her head, "I'm proud of you for your performance in the Gym battle today. You fought pretty well."

Leaf smiled softly and closed her eyes for a brief moment. In a matter of seconds, heartwarming thoughts flooded her mind to the point she fluttered her hands.

"Thanks, Helios!" Leaf chirped.

Mewtwo nodded at Leaf before they all turned for the door. Shortly after they stepped outside the Gym, Leaf removed her hair tie and stashed it into her messenger bag before she pulled out a hairbrush.

"Uhh, Leaf?" Red paused.

Leaf didn't bother to shift her gaze towards the boys as she started brushing her hair.

"Lemme get this taken care of," she said, "then we'll head out."


	25. The Diglett Frenzy

With each of them having earned the Thunder Badge, they made their way back to the Pokémon Center. While Mewtwo settled himself in the lounge area, Leaf, Red and Gary hung out at the counter while Nurse Joy carried the trays holding their Poké Balls to the healing station. As they waited in a few minutes of silence, Leaf rocked side to side. Soon, Nurse Joy withdrew each tray and handed them to the misfit trainers.

"Thank you for waiting," she smiled, "your Pokémon are restored to full health."

Nurse Joy gave a deep bow as the misfit trainers stashed away their Poké Balls.

"We hope to see you again."

Red nodded at Nurse Joy before he led Leaf and Gary to the lounge area.

"Man," the professor's grandson placed his hands behind his head, "I'm getting hungry. Can we get some lunch before we head out?"

Leaf felt her stomach grumble as intense as a Whismur's Uproar. Red glanced to his right and observed the cafeteria nearby.

"Well, we could all go for some food," he nodded.

Gary grinned as he shuffled over to the cafeteria. Leaf glanced over her shoulder and locked eyes onto Mewtwo like a nervous Skitty.

"Helios, would you like anything?" Leaf asked Mewtwo.

Mewtwo glanced over his shoulder and took a moment to examine the menu from a distance.

"I'll try the tempura udon this time," he answered.

"Got it," she nodded with a soft smile.

Leaf, Red and Gary made their way to the cafeteria and stopped by the counter. Leaf didn't hesitate to order chicken katsu with rice, mushroom sauce and shredded romaine lettuce for herself. Red ordered a bowl of miso ramen while Gary ordered okonomiyaki. While the young trainers made orders for food dishes for their Pokémon, Leaf proceeded to order tempura udon. Once the chef brought out the trays to the counter several minutes later, the kids took turns making their payment at the counter. They carried their lunch orders back to the lounge and sat near Mewtwo before they sent out their Pokémon. Shortly after that, they started eating.

Once they finished lunch, they wrapped up and left Vermilion City. Mewtwo, Leaf, Red and Gary didn't get pretty far in Route Eleven when they reached the entrance to Diglett's Cave. While she carried her Squirtle in her arms, Leaf examined the cavern entrance and rocked side to side.

"You know," Gary pointed out, "we could always take Routes Five and Six back to Cerulean City."

Red gave Gary a blank stare in a moment of silence before he returned his gaze towards his Pokégear, reading the latest text message from Professor Oak.

"I'm more interested in what the professor has in store for us," Red remarked.

Mewtwo placed a finger on his chin.

"Is he waiting for us?" Mewtwo asked.

Red simply shrugged. They didn't say much else as Mewtwo led the trainers through the entrance to Diglett's Cave. The feline psychic Legendary noticed a ladder leading down a hole, so he hovered over and peered inside. During the moment of silence, Pikachu hopped off Red's shoulder and peered down the hole. Mewtwo shuddered when he smelled a poisonous gas ascending from below. He didn't hesitate to grab Pikachu by the scruff of his neck. The electric mouse let out a startled yelp while the Genetic Pokémon moved away from the hole.

"That was close," Mewtwo muttered.

While Mewtwo saw the Poison Gas rising from the hole, he set Pikachu down on the ground. Gary scanned his surroundings and started stepping towards the hole. The psychic Legendary thought fast and gripped the professor's grandson's shoulder.

"Hey!" Gary exclaimed.

Squirtle hopped out of Leaf's arms and glared at the hole, scratching at the ground with his front claws.

"Squirt, Squirt, Squirt…"

"Is someone down there?" Leaf blurted.

Mewtwo glanced over his shoulder and nodded.

"If we're going to confront whoever is at the bottom," Mewtwo warned, "I suggest you prepare for battle."

Red nodded and shifted his baseball cap until its visor faced the back.

"Well, I'm ready," he said.

"Pika!" Pikachu added.

Gary reached for his bag and sent out his Rattata. Mewtwo swayed his tail nervously.

"Shall I lift you down?" Mewtwo offered.

"We can climb down," Red assured Mewtwo, "don't worry."

Leaf nodded in agreement just as the poisonous gas dissipated. She took the hint and sprinted over to the ladder. Mewtwo watched as the trainers climbed down the ladder one by one. When Pikachu, Squirtle and Rattata climbed after them, the psychic Legendary floated his way down the hole. Once Mewtwo met up with the trainers at the bottom, he scanned his surroundings, hoping to find the source of the Poison Gas. Rattata's fur stood on edge as the purple rodent fidgeted nervously.

"Piikaaa," Pikachu shook anxiously.

Squirtle let out a soft sigh and patted Pikachu and Rattata on the heads in an attempt to soothe them. As Mewtwo adjusted his hood, Gary and Red shuddered when they heard rumbling from a distance.

"Did you hear that?" Gary whispered.

Red nodded. Mewtwo tensed as he felt the ground with his feet. He squinted into the darkness in search of any sudden movements. Seconds later, they started hearing distant sounds echoing across the tunnel.

"Diglett Dig, Diglett Dig, Diglett Dig, Diglett Dig!"

"Trio! Trio! Trio!"

Leaf spotted one Diglett pop up from the ground, followed by another. Mewtwo didn't hesitate to lift Leaf into his arms, eliciting a startled yelp out of her.

"Mew…Helios?" she blurted.

"Such anger," Mewtwo muttered, "something's happened up ahead."

Shaking nervously, Leaf perched her arms over Mewtwo's shoulders and stared into the distance. Before long, wave after wave of Digletts start emerging from the ground as they gathered around Mewtwo, Red and Gary. Pikachu, Squirtle and Rattata leapt into a battle stance in front of them as the swarm stared back at them. Red took a moment to pull out his Pokédex.

 _{Diglett, the Mole_ _Pokémon. It lives one yard underground and feeds on plant roots. Farmers raise some Digletts as they till the soil for crops when they burrow through the field. But, Digletts have the capacity to be considered a pest when they feed on the roots of crops, so farmers deter them by planting a specific tree. Their skin are thin to the point exposure to sunlight can heat up their blood and weaken them, so they come to the surface at night.}_

Gary spotted a Dugtrio among the swarm of Digletts and recorded it in his Pokédex.

 _{Dugtrio, the Mole_ _Pokémon. This evolved form of Diglett can dig through even the hardest of ground to a depth of over 60 miles. The heads are triplets that emerged from one body._ _As a result, each triplet thinks exactly like the other two triplets, cooperating to burrow endlessly._ _}_

"Helios," Gary begged, "plans?"

"I'll see if I can calm them," Mewtwo suggested, eyeing the Dugtrio, "there's too many to battle efficiently. I wonder if that Dugtrio is their leader."

With Leaf still clinging onto the psychic Legendary, Mewtwo gestured to the Dugtrio in the middle of the swarm. Little did they know, Pikachu felt the ground rumble underneath him. When the Dugtrio laid its eyes on Mewtwo, he shifted his arms so Leaf could perch in his right arm.

"Take a moment to calm yourselves," Mewtwo requested, "tell me what happened."

"Trio! Trio Trio."

Red and Gary exchanged confused glances as the Dugtrio scooted towards the psychic Legendary.

"Uhh, what's going on?" Gary paused.

"Trio Trio Trio, Trio!"

Mewtwo hummed as he nodded.

"I assure you we mean you no harm," Mewtwo tried to reassure them, "we're merely passing through."

Dugtrio shook its head.

"Trio! Trio!"

"Wait," Mewtwo paused, "you mean…?"

Before Mewtwo could finish interpreting the Dugtrio's speech, Pikachu let out a startled shriek as a hole opened up beneath him and he fell in.

"Pikachu!" Red panicked.

Mewtwo snapped out of his thoughts and glanced over his shoulder. Squirtle and Rattata peered down the hole while Leaf stared in disbelief. The young girl slid out of the Legendary's arms and sprinted over to the hole before she sent out her Nidoran and Sandslash.

"Leaf?!" Gary exclaimed.

Leaf knelt before her Nidoran and Sandslash.

"You guys wanna bet Team Rocket is here?" Leaf asked.

"That would explain the poison," Mewtwo agreed, returning his gaze to the Dugtrio, "we'll get them out. You can leave it to us to deal with them."

The Digletts exchanged glances while the Dugtrio nodded at Mewtwo.

"Trio! Trio!"

"Diglett Dig, Diglett Dig, Diglett Dig!" the Digletts chirped with confidence.

Mewtwo blinked twice in a moment of silence.

"Thank you," Mewtwo spoke, "I appreciate your assistance. In this case, would you lead the way?"

The Dugtrio exchanged glances with the surrounding Digletts, so a few Digletts burrowed their way towards the hole. Leaf stroked Sandslash and Nidoran's heads with both hands and smiled at them.

"You can find Pikachu," Leaf said, "right, buddies?"

"Slash!" Sandslash saluted.

"Nido!" Nidoran added.

"Should the rest of us continue forward?" Mewtwo asked.

Sandslash and Nidoran jumped into the hole with the few Digletts following close behind.

"Maybe we'll find Team Rocket along the way," Red replied.

"I have no doubt," Mewtwo agreed.

Leaf stood to her feet and took a moment to crack her knuckles.

"Mewtwo," Leaf pointed out, "you can sense them underneath us, right?"

Mewtwo nodded.

"Then let's go!" Leaf announced.

Upon cue, Mewtwo led the way with Leaf, Red, Gary, Squirtle and Rattata following close behind. The crowd of Digletts scrambled aside, allowing them to pass through. As they ventured deeper through the tunnel, Mewtwo examined his surroundings through his psionic senses to keep track of Nidoran and Sandslash as they burrowed farther underground. He perked up when he detected the metal of the ladder ahead. He couldn't help but wonder if it led to the surface or down below.

After sprinting a few more feet, Gary spotted a ladder out of the corner of his eyes. They recognized Jessie standing at the bottom of the ladder as her Ekans emerged its head out of a hole. Meowth stood nearby and scanned his surroundings when he locked eyes onto the misfit trainers.

"Oh, crap!" Meowth exclaimed, pointing at Mewtwo and the kids, "it's the twerps again!"

Jessie and James snapped their heads towards Leaf, Red and Gary. By then, Ekans pulled out a glass prison capsule with its tail while Pikachu struggled inside.

"Pikachu!" Red shouted.

Without warning, the swarm of Digletts managed to catch up with Mewtwo and the trainers. Jessie and James shuddered and widened their eyes when the burrowing moles glared at them.

"It would be wise for you three to release that Pikachu," Mewtwo folded his arms underneath his cloak.

Meowth widened his stance and flexed his claws.

"Fat chance, psycho freak!"

Leaf took a couple steps and pointed at Meowth.

"Then what did you do that pissed off these Digletts?!" Leaf demanded.

James gulped while Mewtwo examined the Meowth shaped hot air balloon outside the cave.

"Whatever the reason," Mewtwo proclaimed, "they're not getting away."

Mewtwo didn't hesitate to prepare a Shadow Ball in a matter of seconds before he flung it at the ladder. Jessie and James yelped and jumped aside while the ladder fell to the ground. Seconds later, Nidoran and Sandslash popped out of the hole and tackled Ekans. James gritted his teeth before he sent out his Koffing.

"Koffing, use Smokescreen!" James ordered.

"Oh no, you don't," Gary barked, pointing ahead, "Rattata, use Crunch!"

"Squirtle, Water Pulse!" Leaf added.

Squirtle and Rattata leapt into action. The purple rodent bit at Koffing hard. The tiny turtle unleashed a pulsating blast of water, leaving the Poison Gas Pokémon dizzy. Sandslash broke the glass container open with his claws, allowing Pikachu to jump out. The electric mouse skittered along the ground while Mewtwo prepared another Shadow Ball. Sandslash and Nidoran leapt over as the Digletts swarmed towards Jessie, James and Meowth, eliciting startled yelps out of them. The Rocket trio recalled Ekans and Koffing before turning to run, but not before the psychic Legendary flung a Shadow Ball at them, sending them flying.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" the Rocket trio cried out.

Shortly after Jessie, James and Meowth disappeared into the sky, Mewtwo made a brief glance at Red as Pikachu snuggled in his trainer's arms, chirping and nuzzling the boy's cheek. Gary knelt before his Rattata and scratched behind the purple rodent's ears until it started glowing.

"Huh?!" Gary exclaimed.

The Mouse Pokémon grew in size, its ears gained ragged edges and its tail uncurled while its incisors grew. Once the glowing faded, Gary reached for his Pokédex.

_{Raticate, the Mouse Pokémon. This evolved version of Rattata uses its whiskers to maintain balance. Their feet are webbed which enable it to swim across rivers. A Raticate's incisors are constantly growing, so they need to gnaw on logs and rocks to maintain their teeth.}_

"Nice!" Gary grinned, "good work, buddy."

"Rati!" Raticate squeaked happily.

Gary recalled his Raticate while Red turned towards the Digletts gathering around them.

"Diglett Dig! Diglett Diglett Dig!" they chorused in unison.

"You're welcome," Red smiled.

Mewtwo smiled as the Digletts dispersed. Leaf shared the same smile, wanting to celebrate by seeing if she could find more marbles in the tunnel. No sooner did she pull out her Itemfinder and turn it on, the device started beeping and the antennae swiveled to her right. Leaf turned in that direction and took a few steps until the Itemfinder beeped rapidly. Mewtwo floated over to her side and examined the ground.

"Let's see what could possibly be here," Leaf muttered to herself.

Leaf made a brief glance at Mewtwo as he crouched to one knee. He placed his hands on the ground, feeling for whatever was buried underneath the dirt. Once he found softer soil, he nodded at the young girl, so she sent out her Sandslash and Nidoran.

"Hey guys," Leaf asked, "you mind helping us?"

"Nido!"

"Slash!"

Mewtwo, Leaf, Sandslash and Nidoran started digging into the ground before them. After a few minutes, the trainer brushed off a layer of dirt which revealed a skull. The young girl yelped and reeled back while a nearby Diglett stopped in its tracks and gave them a curious stare. Mewtwo, having noticed the trainer's sudden reaction, examined the skull in the ground.

"Uhh," Leaf stammered, "is that a fossil?"

Nidoran and Sandslash gave Leaf a brief confused stare before they continued digging. Once a few minutes passed, they managed to unearth the rest of the skeleton. Strangely enough, the skeleton happened to be a neck shorter than Leaf. Mewtwo lifted the skeleton into his arms while Red and Gary approached him from behind, Pikachu perching on the former's shoulder.

"Yeah," Red commented, "that doesn't look like a Pokémon at all."

"Pika," the electric mouse agreed, his ears twitching.

"Whatever it is," Gary shrugged, "at least we know those two didn't do it."

Mewtwo nodded before standing up while Leaf recalled her Squirtle, Sandslash and Nidoran.

"Let's just go," Leaf suggested.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, I’ll list some of the Japanese Dishes mentioned:
> 
> Okonomiyaki is a savory pancake and there are some varieties of okonomiyaki. The Osaka/Kansai equivalent has the batter consisting of shredded cabbage, green onions, pickled ginger, flour, eggs and water. When this variant is frying on the pan, you place strips of pork belly on one side and flip it. Once it’s done cooking, this variant is drizzled with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and sprinkled with seaweed flakes (aonori) and bonito flakes (katsuobushi). The Hiroshima okonomiyaki includes fried noodles but its cooking method is different from that of the Osaka variant.
> 
> Tempura Udon is a noodle soup consisting of thick wheat noodles in a broth consisting of soy sauce, dashi and mirin. The toppings are often dipped in tempura batter and deep-fried.
> 
> Chicken Katsu is a variation of tonkatsu, which that in itself is a pork cutlet coated in panko and deep-fried. It can be served with shredded cabbage or on rice.
> 
> Miso Ramen is a type of ramen dish in Japan with miso blended into the broth.


	26. Sunset Back at Pewter

After what felt like a whole day, Red, Leaf, Gary and Mewtwo finally left Diglett's Cave. To their right, a prickly bush filled the gap in the fence.

"Hold on," Mewtwo paused, "is this Route Two?"

"Mm-hmm," Leaf nodded.

Mewtwo let out a sigh of relief, still holding onto the skeleton in his arms. Leaf tilted her head to her left and spotted a door to a gateway. She reached out and tugged at Red's sleeve.

"Yeah?" Red blurted, glancing over his shoulder.

"You think the professor's aide is waiting over there?" Leaf asked, pointing ahead.

"Yeah, I guess," Red shrugged.

Mewtwo took a moment to secure his makeshift cloak while Gary started his strode.

"One way to find out," Gary winked.

Leaf, Red and Mewtwo followed Gary to the gate. Stepping inside, they spotted a man dressed in a lab coat sitting at a table. They waited in a moment of silence until the assistant laid eyes on the professor's grandson.

"Hey, Gary!" he called over, "remember me?"

Gary grinned as he folded his arms.

"Yo," he greeted, "you wanted to see us?"

The professor's aide nodded as he stood up and approached the trainers. Mewtwo lowered his head, not wanting the skeleton in his arms to draw attention.

"Of course," the assistant nodded, "have you three been making progress with your Pokédexes?"

The young trainers took a moment to pull out their Pokédexes. They scrolled through their entries and compared the amount they had, only to notice sometimes they each had entries the others didn't.

"Uhh, kinda," Leaf blurted.

The professor's aide placed a finger on his chin.

"Well," he mentioned, "have you three tried sharing entries?"

Red and Gary exchanged confused glances while Leaf shifted her weight on her feet at intervals.

"It sounds vaguely familiar," Red mumbled, "I'm not sure where I read it, though…"

"Well," the professor's aide explained, "if you three take a moment to set up a friendship link with your Pokédexes, you should be able to share entries with each other."

Leaf turned on her Pokédex and scrolled until she found a friends icon and tapped on it.

"This icon?" Leaf gestured to her Pokédex, avoiding the assistant's eyes.

"Yep," the aide nodded.

Red glanced over and found his friends icon.

"Ok," he said, "do we need to press it at the same time?"

"Or maybe request a friendship and wait for a response," Gary corrected.

Gary demonstrated by sending a friend request to Red. Leaf found the friend request icon and took a moment to send one to the boys. Red perked up and pressed on his alert, sending one back to the both of them. Once they each accepted their friend requests, they started sharing entries over the course of several minutes until their Pokédexes held the same entries.

"Awesome," Leaf said to herself.

The professor's aide smiled.

"Can't assume that was everything you wanted to tell us?" Red added.

"Well," the professor's aide replied, "now that you've made some excellent progress, I might as well give you three something handy for your travels."

The professor's aide reached into his pocket and pulled out three copies of an HM.

"This Hidden Move here is called Flash," he explained, "it allows you to light up places that are too dark."

Gary rolled his eyes.

"Why not just buy a flashlight?" he retorted.

Red and Pikachu burst into laughter.

"Oh, come on," Gary groaned, "really?!"

Leaf stashed her Pokédex and grabbed her copy of the HM before stashing it into her TM case.

"I mean," Red gasped through his laughter, "it's a good backup, it's a good way to bond!"

Gary scowled and slumped his shoulders.

"This isn't funny!" Gary barked.

Red stashed his copy into his case after he calmed down.

"Just take it, dude," he insisted.

Gary groaned before swiping the last copy out of the assistant's hands.

"Thank you, sir," Gary said, disgruntled.

Red snorted and glanced over his shoulder.

"Take care, kids," the assistant replied.

Leaf nodded before turning to approach Mewtwo, who led the three trainers back outside. Soon enough, they set foot into Pewter City once again. They made a beeline towards the Pewter Museum and stopped before a prickly bush blocking the path to the back entrance. Mewtwo studied the yard before shifting his gaze towards the kids.

"You seem curious," he mused, "do you suppose we have time to explore?"

Red glanced over his shoulder and placed his hand behind his head.

"Well," Red tried to reason, "maybe if we ask the scientists here, we can figure out how old that skeleton is."

"I don't think it's ancient," Gary rolled his eyes.

Leaf sent out her Bellsprout and winked at him, encouraging him to slice down the prickly bush. A split second later, she stared in awe as her Bellsprout started glowing and changed into a Weepinbell.

"Oh," she smiled, "so cool!"

She took a moment to record a Pokédex entry.

_{Weepinbell, the Flycatcher Pokémon. This evolved form of Bellsprout hooks onto a tree branch at night to sleep. If it moves around in its sleep, it may find itself on the ground. It captures unwary prey by dousing them with a toxic powder. Its leafy arms can act as cutters for slashing foes. It spits an acidic fluid that can dissolve any material.}_

Leaf happily fluttered her hands. Weepinbell, now newly evolved, imitated her gesture with his leafy wings.

"Weepin!" he chirped.

Leaf gave Weepinbell a pat on the head before she recalled him.

"Ok, let's go!" Leaf suggested.

Leaf darted for the door, encouraging Red and Gary to follow close behind. Mewtwo and the three trainers set foot inside the room behind the counter, carefully cradling the skeleton in his arms. The scientist at the computer glanced over his shoulder and shuddered.

"Uhm," he said, "can I help you?"

Leaf swung one leg back and forth while she glanced over her shoulder.

"W-Well," she tried to explain, "we made a discovery while traveling through Diglett's Cave."

Two scientists focused on the psychic Legendary while Gary noticed an amber in a glass case on a pedestal. Mewtwo kept his hands and face concealed as he handed over the remains, curling his tail to his back.

"We, uh, heard you guys check out this sort of stuff," Red added, "we wanted your opinion on it, basically. Would you mind?"

The scientist who lifted the remains out of Mewtwo's hands shifted his gaze between the three trainers before he nodded.

"Of course," he nodded, "we'll see if we can find anything interesting. Would you like us to call you on updates?"

Leaf took the hint and presented her Pokégear. Another scientist borrowed it for a brief moment to record the museum's number into her contact list.

"Here you go," he handed back the Pokégear.

"Thanks," Leaf stashed her Pokégear back into her bag.

While one scientist carried the remains to a door at the back of the room, Gary approached the pedestal to examine the amber inside.

"Interesting amber you got there," Gary commented.

The scientist standing next to the pedestal locked eyes onto the professor's grandson.

"Well," the scientist confessed silently, "I think that this chunk of amber contains Pokémon DNA. It would be a shattering scientific breakthrough if Pokémon could be resurrected from it, but my colleagues just ignore what I have to say."

Gary tilted his head sideways and placed a finger on his chin.

"Ok," he drawled, "what can I do about it?"

"Perhaps you could do me a favor and get this amber examined at a Pokémon Lab somewhere?" the scientist requested.

Gary pulled out his Pokégear and took a moment to read the map of the Kanto region. After less than a minute passed, he could only identify such a lab located on Cinnabar Island, so the professor's grandson marked it for later.

"Sure," Gary nodded, "doesn't hurt to go on a delivery mission."

The scientist smiled before he opened the glass case, allowing Gary to carefully remove the amber and place it in a smaller box. Once he stashed the box into his bag, he winked at the scientist with a grin.

"Smell ya later!" Gary waved his hand.

While the scientists waved their hands, Mewtwo, Leaf, Red and Gary made their way to the door. Once they stepped back outside, they jumped off the ledge. Stopping at a corner of the street, the kids took a moment to check the supplies they had. Leaf tilted her head upwards, noting the sunset over the horizon.

"Hey, can we rest for the night?" Leaf requested.

Red and Gary paused before examining the sunset.

"Yeah," Red agreed, "dinner would be nice."

Mewtwo allowed his tail to unfurl and gave Leaf a quick smile, though his head twitched slightly in the direction of the Poké Mart doors sliding open. A couple emerged from the building and the psychic Legendary couldn't help but recognize them from the news. Still, he remained silent. Just as the couple crossed the street, they glanced both directions until they locked eyes onto the three trainers.

"Miss Aoyama?" the woman called out.

Leaf shuddered and turned her head towards the couple standing a few feet away.

"A-Afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Chandler," Leaf waved her hand nervously.

Red tilted his head to his right and gave a polite smile.

"Are these your friends?" Mr. Chandler gestured to Red, Gary and Mewtwo.

Leaf took a few steps.

"Yeah," she answered, gesturing to the psychic Legendary and the boys, "this is Red, Gary and Helios."

Gary gave Red a confused look before shifting his gaze towards the couple.

"Hello," Red greeted.

"Nice to meet you," Gary grinned.

The boys gave the couple a deep bow. While Mr. Chandler gave Mewtwo a curious stare, Leaf couldn't help but reflect on that moment she saw Beth's lifeless body back in Mount Moon. She silently cursed at herself for not doing something that could've saved her life, or even told her close friends more about her. She remembered the day she first Beth in school in Viridian City. She remembered when they would often meet up despite being in different classes. She even recalled the fond memories of the moments Beth would stand up to Eloise and the other bullies. She remembered the heartbreak of the day Beth's family had to move to Pewter City three years ago.

And now, she would never see her again.

Mrs. Chandler noticed as Leaf lowered her head and drooped her shoulders.

"Is something wrong?" she asked the girl.

"I'm so sorry for your loss," Leaf gave a deep bow, trying to suppress the tears welling in her eyes, "I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

Mewtwo blinked twice as he probed into the girl's mind, examining the memories flooding her head.

"Leaf," Mewtwo spoke into her head, "deep breaths."

Leaf glanced over her shoulder, tears welling in her eyes as the psychic Legendary gazed back at her.

"It's all right," Mewtwo assured her.

"Leaf?" Red frowned slightly.

Pikachu twitched his ears and locked eyes onto the Chandlers.

"Pika?" the electric mouse waved his paw.

"We held Beth's funeral yesterday," Mrs. Chandler explained.

Gary shuddered and focused on the girl.

"You knew her this whole time?" Gary asked.

Leaf nodded sheepishly, hugging her arms to her chest.

"She was…my friend," she bleated.

"Oh, Helix," Red muttered, "uhm, I'm sorry."

Red half moved for hug, but then he stopped himself and drew back. She felt heavy in her chest, so Leaf took a few steps towards Mewtwo and embraced herself to him, wailing into his chest. Mewtwo kept his arms and hands covered as he wrapped an arm around her, resting the other hand on her head as she continued to weep. Pikachu's ears flicked down and he snuggled against Red. Mr. and Mrs. Chandler also bowed their heads for a brief moment of silence.

"W-Well," Mrs. Chandler offered, "would you kids like to spend the night at our home?"

Minutes later, Leaf glanced over her shoulder, her eyes still puffy and red.

"O-Ok," Leaf nodded.

Upon cue, Mewtwo scooped Leaf into her arms as he, Red and Gary followed the Chandlers down several blocks. After turning at a corner and walking down one more block, they stopped before a simple house. Once they made their way through the front door, they all stopped at the genkan, where they slid their shoes off. Mewtwo stood idly by as Leaf set her shoes aside.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her.

Once Leaf stepped onto the higher platform, she glanced over her shoulder, silently reminding herself Mewtwo didn't wear shoes.

"A little shaken now," she answered.

Leaf shifted her gaze towards Mrs. Chandler, though she avoided her eyes.

"M-Ma'am?" Leaf said, gesturing to Mewtwo, "Helios here can't wear shoes. What can I do for him before he can come into the house?"

Red glanced downwards.

"Yeah," he added, "not to be rude, but regular shoes don't fit him."

Mewtwo examined the cloak hiding his feet and tucked them together self-consciously. When Mr. Chandler removed his shoes and stepped onto the platform, he placed a finger on his chin.

"If he can clean his feet," Red suggested, "can he just walk around?"

"Give me a moment," Mr. Chandler said.

Mr. Chandler meandered through the front hall. After the others waited for a moment, he returned with a moist cloth and handed it to Red.

"Here you go."

"Thanks," Red smiled, "do you mind if we have a moment in private?"

"And," Mewtwo kept his eyes locked onto Leaf, "would I be permitted to sit on the higher level?"

"Of course," Mrs. Chandler nodded, "just find us in the living room when you're done."

"Yes, ma'am," Red agreed.

Mrs. and Mr. Chandler left the front hall while Mewtwo sat down. Pikachu hopped off Red's shoulder while he knelt down. The psychic Legendary lifted a foot and braced for oncoming touch. Red took the foot into his hand and wiped the bottom of the Pokémon's foot. Once he finished, the boy walked behind the Genetic Pokémon. Mewtwo watched as he set his foot onto the higher level and lifted his other foot. Once Red knelt at the other side, he didn't hesitate to wipe the bottom of the foot. Once the boy finished, the psychic Legendary placed his foot onto the higher platform.

"Thank you," Mewtwo said.

"You're welcome," Red smiled, "let's go meet up with our hosts."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I close out, may I advise any readers here please don't compare Mewtwo to Kylo Ren? The world's strongest Pokémon finds that offensive. In case you're wondering, Leaf and Mewtwo would be much more like Finn and Rey. >:P


	27. After a Long Day's Travel

Red, Leaf, Gary and Mewtwo made their way to the living room and gathered around the coffee table. While Pikachu sat next to his trainer, the kids sent out Squirtle, Charmander and Bulbasaur. The Genetic Pokémon sat down and scanned his surroundings. He eyed Mr. and Mrs. Chandler as they sat at both ends of the oblong coffee table.

"So," Mrs. Chandler asked, "how was your journey?"

Leaf brought her hands together.

"Well," Leaf answered, "my friends and I challenged the Vermilion Gym earlier today."

While Pikachu hopped onto the coffee table, Red took a moment to count with his fingers.

"Six days total," Red muttered to himself.

Mewtwo nodded in agreement.

"Man, _**that's**_ how long our journey lasted?" Gary remarked.

Mrs. Chandler couldn't help but laugh.

"That must be quite an experience," she agreed, "I'll tell you what!"

Leaf lifted her Squirtle into her hands and perched him onto her lap. Bulbasaur eyed Gary and scratched on his leg.

"Bulba! Bulba!"

"What?" Gary blurted, "you want my lap?"

"Saur!" Bulbasaur nodded.

Red smiled and glanced at the fire lizard.

"Wanna come up?"

"Char!"

Red lifted Charmander into his lap while Gary allowed his Bulbasaur to climb onto his lap.

"So those are your starter Pokémon?" Mr. Chandler asked.

"Yeah," Red nodded.

Charmander cheered while Red held out the used cloth.

"Thank you," Mr. Chandler said.

Mr. Chandler took the cloth from the boy's hand and walked into the kitchen.

"So," Mrs. Chandler asked, "how did you meet these young lads?"

"I…moved to Pallet Town three months ago," Leaf answered.

"And my gramps gave her the tutoring that granted her her trainer's license," Gary added.

"Ah, Pallet Town," Mrs. Chandler mused, "what's it like?"

Leaf sighed and tilted her head sideways.

"I guess it's pretty…tranquil," Leaf said.

"And I only met her on the day we started our journey," Red chuckled with a shrug.

"I can't say anything special about Pallet," Gary remarked, "but that's just me."

Leaf ran her hand along her Squirtle's head while she leaned closer to Mewtwo. While the tiny turtle nuzzled her palm, the psychic Legendary nuzzled her cheek. Soon enough, Mr. Chandler returned to the living room.

"Well," Mrs. Chandler asked, "we're about to make some chicken tikka masala soon. Are you kids hungry?"

Mewtwo perked his head up while Red and Gary exchanged glances, unable to contain the excitement.

"Of course!" Gary grinned, gesturing to Mewtwo, "I hope you don't mind if we let Helios join us for dinner."

"Come to think of it," Mr. Chandler commented, "how did you meet him?"

Red shifted glances between the Chandler couple before locking eyes onto Leaf.

"Uhh," Red reminded, "you met him first, right?"

Leaf nodded sheepishly, though she hesitated in a moment of silence. She couldn't just straight up tell the Chandlers he was a powerful Pokémon. She knew how their daughter died and the last thing she wanted was for Team Rocket to go after them.

"Yeah," she improvised, "I got lost in Viridian Forest when I stumbled upon him."

Leaf rubbed her cheek with her index finger in a circular motion.

"But I guess he tends to keep to himself," she added, "is there a place where he can eat in private?"

While Red scanned his surroundings, Mr. and Mrs. Chandler exchanged glances.

"He's welcome to dine here in the living room," the husband offered.

Mewtwo sighed and bowed his head gratefully.

"Thank you, sir," Mewtwo said.

"You're welcome," Mr. Chandler smiled.

Leaf stood up before settling her Squirtle onto the floor cushion.

"Squirt?" the tiny turtle blinked and tilted his head.

Red and Gary also stood to their full heights.

"Is it ok if we help out making dinner?" Red clamored.

"I don't see why not. Thanks, boys."

Leaf, Red and Gary followed Mr. and Mrs. Chandler into the kitchen. The married couple took a few minutes to gather the utensils and ingredients onto the counter. Mr. Chandler mixed the marinade in a bowl while Gary cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. The professor's grandson slid the pieces of chicken into the bowl, allowing the man to stir until the chicken was coated. While they set the bowl aside, Red took a large skillet onto the stove.

After several minutes passed, Mrs. Chandler poured cooking oil into the skillet and waited for the liquid to heat up. While her husband prepared the rice cooker, she poured a batch of chicken at a time, frying them for a few minutes. After frying all the chicken and setting it aside, the woman opted out of onions when she melted the butter, setting off to sauté the ginger and garlic for a minute. Leaf then pitched in to add the garam masala, cumin, turmeric and coriander.

Mrs. Chandler continued to stir the sauce when Leaf added the tomato puree, chili powder and salt. The woman allowed the sauce to simmer for around fifteen minutes. From there, Mr. Chandler offered the cream and sugar, allowing his wife to blend it into the sauce. Once the husband took over the skillet, Red poured all the chicken. After ten minutes, the tikka masala was ready. Red and Gary took turns serving themselves before Leaf scooped rice and the tikka masala onto both plates. She carried both servings into the living room and sat down next to Mewtwo at the coffee table.

"Here you go," Leaf chirped.

Mewtwo tilted his head sideways.

"So this is tikka masala?"

Leaf nodded just as Red stepped into the living room. Mewtwo noticed as Squirtle, Charmander, Bulbasaur and Pikachu stared at the food on the plates. She patted her tiny turtle on the head when she noticed drool from the corner of his mouth. She stood up and glanced at the archway leading to the kitchen.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Leaf asked.

"I've seen berry juice bottles in the cupboard," Mewtwo told her, "I'm curious about that."

"Should I sort out their food?" Red called out.

Leaf clasped her hands behind her back and turned around, tilted her head sideways.

"Maybe we can ask Mr. and Mrs. Chandler where we can feed our Pokémon," Leaf suggested, "I'll keep Helios company."

Red nodded before leading Leaf into the kitchen. Mr. Chandler nodded at the girl as he placed the skillet onto the kitchen table. She headed for the fridge and pulled out a bottle of Moomoo Milk and Red pulled a bottle of berry juice out of a cupboard.

"Sir?" Red asked, "where can we feed our Pokémon?"

Mr. Chandler grinned as he folded his arms.

"Well, we have a backyard your Pokémon can use," he offered.

"Thank you, sir!" Red smiled.

Just as Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Charmander and Pikachu waddled into the kitchen, Leaf, Red and Gary led them to the backyard, where they set down food bowls and filled them with various foods such as nutritious pellets, seeds and a specialty salad for Squirtle. Red ruffled Pikachu's head before the electric mouse started digging in.

When the kids returned to the kitchen, Red and Gary sat down at the kitchen table. Leaf poured Moomoo milk into her glass and picked up the bottle of berry juice, carrying both drinks into the living room. Sitting down next to Mewtwo, she handed him the bottle of berry juice. Mewtwo removed the lid and sniffed at the contents inside. He took a sip of the berry juice while Leaf took a bite out of the tikka masala.

"Really nice," Mewtwo said, "next time we visit a Mart, I would like to buy some of these."

"Sure thing," Leaf nodded.

Mewtwo then focused his eyes on his serving and took a bite. He picked up the hint of spiciness and closed his eyes softly.

"This is exquisite," Mewtwo told her.

Leaf smiled and took a sip of her Moomoo Milk. As they ate quietly, they could hear distant banter from the kitchen. He perked up and looked over, having been thinking about checking on the Pokémon. For now, he focused on the kitchen. They overheard Red and Gary explaining their growing up in Pallet Town as next door neighbors.

"May I ask for your best memories of…where you grew up?"

Leaf paused and tilted her head towards Mewtwo.

"Well," Leaf admitted, "it's not much, but I'm sure there are some tidbits in there."

Leaf continued to eat as Mewtwo slowly closed his eyes. He focused and saw through her perspective, seeing her with Beth watching the TV show she pointed out to him, spending a day with her parents in a vaguely familiar city during a festival of some sort…bombarding him with all sorts of smells…before seeing the soft-shelled Squirtle in her arms as she attempted to feed it some mushed up berries.

He snapped out of his thoughts and kept his gaze at the girl as he went back to eating.

"I'm glad you gained one your closest companions from your good heart," Mewtwo commented, "he clearly continues to trust you."

"Thanks," Leaf blurted.

After dinner, the boys helped the Chandlers put away the dishes. Mewtwo remained in the living room while Leaf carried their dishes over to the kitchen.

"Mrs. Chandler?" Leaf called over, "Helios likes the tikka masala."

"Thank you," Mrs. Chandler nodded.

Red strode over to the back door and stepped out into the backyard.

"Everybody enjoy their food?"

Pikachu happily waved his paw at his trainer as the boy picked up the food bowls. The electric mouse, Charmander, Poliwag, Paras and Spearow gathered around Red while Gary stepped outside.

"You guys tired?" Red asked.

"Pika," Pikachu nodded sloppily.

Red ruffled the fur on Pikachu's head before he recalled his Poliwag, Spearow and Paras. Gary recalled his Abra, Magikarp, Beedrill and Raticate while Leaf stepped out into the backyard. She recalled her Sandslash, Nidoran, Weepinbell and Pidgeotto while Squirtle and Magnemite gathered around her. The three trainers stepped back into the kitchen while carrying their starters, even as the electric mouse perched on Red's shoulder.

"So," Red asked, "where do we sleep?"

"I call dibs on the couch!" Gary interjected.

Mr. Chandler couldn't help but guffaw.

"I have a much better idea for you boys," he replied.

Pikachu yawned as Red and Mewtwo exchanged glances.

"Oh?" Red paused.

Mr. Chandler opened the living room couch to reveal a built-in bed. Red and Gary couldn't help but stare in awe.

"Sweet!" Gary cheered, raising his fist into the air.

"Bulba!" the Bulbasaur chirped.

Pikachu already picked out a spare pillow and curled up on it. Leaf tilted her head towards Mrs. Chandler as Magnemite circled around her midair.

"Ma'am," Leaf asked, "is there a room Helios and I could use?"

Mrs. Chandler hesitated and pursed her lips.

"I suppose you could borrow Beth's room for the night," she offered.

"Could you show us the way?" Leaf requested, her eyes glued to the floor.

Mrs. Chandler led Leaf and Mewtwo out of the living room, up the stairs and into a peculiar bedroom. When she stepped inside, the girl took note of the furniture and items decorating the room. She locked eyes onto the ornate urn sitting atop a wall shelf. Mewtwo studied the urn silently, bowing his head respectfully and trying to ignore his memory of Leaf's reaction to finding her.

"This was…Beth's new room?"

Mrs. Chandler smiled sadly. Mewtwo scanned the room, comparing it to the memory of the girls watching the show. He nodded gently, waiting to take the bag off once the door was shut.

"Even if she's gone," Mrs. Chandler added, "I can't bear to part with the possessions she had."

Squirtle scampered across the room and jumped onto the bed. Leaf noticed as Magnemite floated by her shoulder.

"What about this Magnemite?" Leaf asked, "should I return it to you?"

Mrs. Chandler shook her head.

"Magnemite's the only Pokémon who managed to escape Team Rocket," Mrs. Chandler said, "so there's a chance they have the rest of her Pokémon in their clutches as of now. Granted, her reserve Pokémon are also safe, but still."

Mewtwo placed a finger on his chin.

"You think Magnemite can tell which Pokémon belonged to Beth?" Leaf clamored, "will that be enough to save them?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if it could, but who knows where they are," Mrs. Chandler replied, "I couldn't say if it's enough."

Leaf set down her messenger bag, and then Magnemite leaned in and nuzzled her cheek.

"Well," Mrs. Chandler said teary-eyed, "I suppose I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night," Leaf nodded.

Mrs. Chandler turned for the door, and Mewtwo set down his backpack. Shortly after the woman closed the door, the psychic Legendary shrugged off his cloak.

"I'm surprised at how well this is working."

Leaf nodded as she tilted her head towards the door leading to the bathroom. She reached into her messenger bag and pulled out her pajamas.

"I'll be right back."

Leaf darted into the bathroom while Mewtwo settled into the far side of the bed. From there, the girl showered herself within a few minutes and then spent the next fifteen minutes relaxing in the tub.

As Mewtwo continued to read, he listened to the water and tried to relax, making a brief glance the Squirtle and the Magnemite and spying the latter carefully huddled up against the urn. The sense of grief it had been receiving all day was bugging a familiar nerve inside his brain, and now he was alone he took the time to try and remember why he knew it, staring at the line between the wall and ceiling as he let his mind wander.

Losing Beth was sad in of itself, but the thought of the rest of her Pokémon in Team Rocket's possession sent a chill down his spine. He'd wait for the morning to make a plan with the others. He imagined the Magnemite to be of great help. For now, he tried to focus on the source of his knowing of the emotion.

Mewtwo snapped out of his thoughts when he saw Leaf emerging from the bathroom in her pajamas and carrying her clothes in her arms.

"Would you like to sleep now or are you planning on staying up a while?" Mewtwo asked, "I understand harsh emotions are rather draining."

Leaf didn't say anything as she set aside her clothes and climbed onto the bed, sliding her legs under the covers. She pulled out her copy of _The Squirtle Squad_ and flipped to the page she bookmarked. While she leaned closer to Mewtwo, Squirtle waddled across the bed and settled into her lap. He took that as an answer and couldn't help but smile to himself, enjoying that they shared this activity together. He let his tail fall gently behind her as though allowing her access to his bubble and went back to reading silently. With a flick of his hand, he switched the lights off and switched on the lava lamp on the nightstand. Noticing as she rested back more comfortably against the headrest, he could already feel his energy returning in the calm and comfort of his friends again.

It wasn't long enough before Leaf started dozing off.

**Author's Note:**

> Here's an RP prompt that goes along with the fic: [RP Prompt for The Mindwave Chronicles](https://www.deviantart.com/erinprimette/art/Long-Term-Pokemon-RP-Prompt-810754422)  
> It even has a gallery over on DeviantArt: [The Mindwave Chronicles Gallery](https://www.deviantart.com/erinprimette/gallery/71661058/the-mindwave-chronicles)


End file.
